V&A Completes Hydraulics Projects for Stena Ferries

V&A Hydraulics reportes that it has completed two specialist projects for ferry operator Stena Line to support cargo loading functions and the release of a fast-rescue boat.

The company was tasked with upgrading a tweendeck ramp on the Stena Mersey, which is maneuvered to help the vessel accommodate hundreds of cars and trucks.  Vic Seddon, V&A managing director, said the work, carried out at the Twelve Quays ferry terminal, added to another project for Stena Line delivered on the Superfast X at Holyhead. “The Stena Mersey has a very high car deck to allow trucks to enter underneath. The tween deck ramp acts like a car transporter ramp, enabling vehicles to be stacked above and below each other. V&A was brought in to Stena Line at 12 Quays Birkenhead in a maintenance capacity to install and integrate new valves on the ramp. Although the Stena Mersey is only 10 years old, this work was vital to both protect and enhance the operational reliability of the ramp."

“This project added to the work we carried out on Stena’s Superfast X vessel in Holyhead. This involved a troubleshooting exercise in which we provided specialist advice about the hydraulic unit responsible for deploying the fast-rescue boat."

The Stena Mersey is a Ro-Pax ferry operated by Stena Line between Birkenhead and Belfast. It has a passenger carrying certificate to carry 980 passengers but carries 550 passengers comfortably and also has four vehicle decks. The Superfast X is a Ro-Pax ferry which operates between Holyhead and Dublin and commenced service on this route in March 2015.