Stena Launches Second Irish Sea Hybrid Ferry With Two 28m Rotor Sails That Cut Fuel Consumption By Up To 9%

Stena Line’s newest ship, Stena Connecta, was officially christened on October 16 at the CMI shipyard in Weihai, China. The ship will soon embark on a voyage to its home port on the Irish Sea. Together with Stena Futura, which entered service in September, these two new cargo ships increase cargo capacity on the Belfast–Heysham route by 40 percent.

The ceremony was attended by Stena Line CEO Niclas Mårtensson, members of the Stena Line management team, and Stena AB owner Dan Sten Olsson.

“Today we proudly celebrate another milestone for our fleet and our company. Stena Connecta and her sister ship are equipped with the latest technology and will not only play a crucial role in maintaining transport connections between Ireland and the United Kingdom, but also make an important contribution to our sustainability goal: a 30 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions by 2030,” said Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line.

Stena Line is the largest ferry company operating on the Irish Sea, with a fleet of 13 ships (including Stena Connecta). The company operates up to 238 weekly sailings, with an extensive network of routes including passenger and freight services from Belfast to Cairnryan and Liverpool, Dublin to Holyhead, and Rosslare to Fishguard, as well as freight routes from Belfast to Heysham and Dublin.

This story was originally published by Marine Insight. Read the full story at Marine Insight →