STENA SUPERFAST VIII (ex SUPERFAST VIII) imo: 9198953
STENA SUPERFAST VIII is one of two sister-ships which currently operate Stena Line’s Belfast to Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port) service. She was completed in 2001 as SUPERFAST VIII for Attica Holdings’ Superfast Ferries subsidiary as the second vessel of the four ship Superfast VII series completed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, Germany.
As-built her sister-ships are the current STENA SUPERFAST VII, ATLANTIC VISION, and STENA SUPERFAST X. Along with SUPERFAST VII, she was built specifically to operate Superfast Ferries’ new Baltic Sea service between Hanko (Finland) and Rostock (Germany), a service which was sold along with its vessels SUPERFAST VII-IX to Estonia’s Tallink in 2006 – just 5 years after it was established.
Since 2011 STENA SUPERFAST VIII has operated the Belfast – Cairnryan (Loch Ryan Port) route in tandem with her sister-ship STENA SUPERFAST VII after both ships were re-built for the route in Poland at a reported cost of €14m. Along with her sister and operating partner, STENA SUPERFAST VIII is the largest vessel to ever operate a ferry service between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
You can read more about STENA SUPERFAST VIII on her dedicated page here.
Technical problems on North Channel services
Both European Highlander and Stena Superfast VII where off service today at Harland and Wolff shipyard. Whilst the Stena maintenance had been planned, European Highlander suffered serious technical problems towards the end of last week and so was drydocked this morning. This has meant North Channel services to both Cairnryan ports have operated at half capacity. P&O’s Express Catermaran is also at Harland and Wolff being readied for her planned return to service At the end of the month. Stena Hibernia left Belfast laden this evening just after 7:30pm bound for Cairnryan in order to move trailer traffic across the channel and I assume she will also return laden. At present European Highlander is still in drydock, and Superfast VII is scheduled to be off service tomorrow as well, so all sailings are expected to be very busy again tomorrow. At present the active fleet is as follows: P&O Larne ... Read more