Stena Line Building Two New Ships for Irish Sea Service

Ferry operator Stena Line announced it is building two new freight vessels for its expanding Belfast-Heysham freight service.

Each of the two new 147-meter NewMax vessels has been designed to maximize freight volumes and will provide 2,800 lane meters of capacity which is an 80% increase on current ship capacities. The new vessels will be equipped to carry 12 passengers and 26 crew.

The vessels will be able to operate on methanol fuel. Stena Line is currently working closely with the supply chain of methanol and has secured future volumes of e-methanol to fulfil its strategic ambition of shifting to renewable fuels and cutting 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030. Stena Line became the first ferry operator to run a ferry on methanol when the Stena Germanica was converted in 2015.

Future proofing the new vessels for electrification has been another priority during construction providing in-built technologies that can take advantage of both battery propulsion and shore power, where this is available.

“This investment shows our dedication to sustainability and our strategy of moving towards new sustainable fuels,” said Niclas Mårtensson, CEO Stena Line. “The NewMax vessels will also meet the growing demand from customers, adding significant capacity to allow logistics operators to grow their business in the region.”

Each vessel will be fitted with three bow thrusters for improved maneuverability and reliability, as well as a specially designed engine/propeller configuration to further enhance berthing capability in extreme weather.

Construction work on the two new vessels is about to start in Weihai, China through Stena RoRo and both ships are due to go into service on the route in autumn 2025, operating from Stena Line’s port in Belfast.