stena europe

[giftgrub]

Interesting report on the Stena Europe's early days


http://motor-vessel.com/2015/05/09/stena-europe-history-report/

[seaman]

What's forgotten on this report is that the Götaverken shipyard in Gothenburg is history nowdays since the owner decided to liquidate it last year.

[russellw]

Got good photos of yesterday. She still in dock at the moment 14.58 Sunday

Fantastic photo's thank you for sharing.

Russ

[giftgrub]

Reported in current issue of Ferry Scene that Stena Europe is to be replaced by Stena Jutlandica, however Stena need to find a ship to replace Jutlandica first on Gothenburg Fredrickshaven route. Would imagine they are searching for a pair of ferries with plenty of passenger capacity and lane metres to replace Danica as well.

This would be if true a great result for the Southern Corridor and trigger a major investment in the Fishguard linkspan and the side loading would need adjustment also.

[Davy Jones]

If that was to go ahead, would that deter Irish Ferries from moving the Inishmore to the central corridor and replacing her with cheaper tonnage?

[Collision-course]

Interesting , I wonder if the 2 ex-TTT Line ferries on charter to Baleria are earmarked to replace Stena Jutlandica and Stena Danica.

[hhvferry]

Interesting , I wonder if the 2 ex-TTT Line ferries on charter to Baleria are earmarked to replace Stena Jutlandica and Stena Danica.

The Danica still takes huge loads and would be difficult to replace with a conversion unless they really stacked the accommodation on. I imagine when Stena were bidding for just one of the Seafrance ships a couple of years ago they had replacement for the Danica potentially in mind.

As for the Jutlandica - if she does appear at Fishguard it will be a modernisation but the ship herself I absolutely loathe - clearly built to a budget and with ugly and poorly-planned accommodation.

[PaddyL]

Reported in current issue of Ferry Scene that Stena Europe is to be replaced by Stena Jutlandica, however Stena need to find a ship to replace Jutlandica first on Gothenburg Fredrickshaven route. Would imagine they are searching for a pair of ferries with plenty of passenger capacity and lane metres to replace Danica as well.

This would be if true a great result for the Southern Corridor and trigger a major investment in the Fishguard linkspan and the side loading would need adjustment also.

Wouldn't trust anything written in Ferry and Cruise Review, they often seem to get their facts completely wrong.

[IFPete]

There appears to be an opportunity to build another quartette of vessels to replace older tonnage,

[TC]

I wouldn't be too surprised to see a 'handy me down' going on the Fishguard run. It all depends on numbers at the end of the day. I do believe the passenger numbers are still pretty strong, so something with a decent passenger capacity, but also a good freight capacity I would imagine is in order. Stena have a lot of options, freighter conversion shouldn't be ruled out either.

Stena Baltica (Cotentin) could easily have the same treatment P&O gave the Pride of Kent and Pride of Canterbury, bearing in mind Stena could buy it from Brittany Ferries. If BF said 'non' then they would have to search elsewhere.

I agree with you IF Pete, with so many vessels in the Stena fleet 25+, wouldn't it be easier for Stena to go to a Korean Yard (like Stena Adventurer & Scandinavia) and get a handful of vessels built with slight variations.

I think all the operators are in the same boat so to speak. I was recently on P&O's Norbank, and the purser (Her usual ship is Pride of Bruges) told me P&O are going to be keeping the Pride of Bruges and Pride of York in operation to 2019! Making them 32 years old!
Personally I can see P&O, ordering 4 ships, to replace the North Sea Ferries era ships, namely Pride of Bruges, Pride of York, Norbank, and Norbay. The latter two will probably be retained for freight only duties.


   

[Steven]

Trinacria and Partenope would be totally unsuitable for the purposes of replacing Julandica and Danica IMO.  Danica is said to be in excellent condition, despite her age.  Jutlandica to Fishguard is a rumour that has been doing the rounds for years now - how much of it is based in fact or informed speculation and how much comes from the fact that her near sister operates for the opposition remains to be seen.

As I have said before, freight loads on the Fishguard link are poor compared to elsewhere.  Europe has poor freight capacity by modern standards, yet this cannot be filled.  The continuing shift to the central corridor isn't helping matters either.  Passenger wise, numbers are very seasonal, and I believe, declining year-on-year. 

To be honest, The "news" item in FCR tells us absolutely nothing which we didn't know a couple of years ago.   If Stena are to continue with Fishguard, a replacement will need to be found sooner rather than later.  In what form that would be, remains to be seen.  IF Jutlandica were moved to the southern corridor it would be a big vote of confidence from Stena in the route however, and would certainly give Irish Ferries something to think about.  Personally, I feel something smaller is a more likely option.

[TC]

From what you've told us Steven, Stena seems to be having a sort of 'Larne' problem with Fishguard. I hope both ports can get sorted out. To be honest, I think the biggest problem for Fishguard is that it isn't a two ship operation, but as we have seen with P&O's Larne - Cairnryan, you can put large vessels on the route, loads of sailings, and still struggle to get the numbers, if your competitor is 'bigger and better equipped'.

Irish Ferries have the Isle of Inishmore, a vessel with a high freight & passenger capacity, an asset Irish Ferries, which takes most of the freight ex Rosslare / Pembroke. However if Irish Ferries did down size, then Stena could move, like they did with Cairnryan - Belfast, and basically scoop most of their competitors freight. 

[IFPete]

If irish Ferries down size it will be to get a ferry with lower passenger capacity and similar freight capacity,

Stena Jutlandica or Normandie or Armorique would meet that requirement and allow IOI to go yo Dublin - Holyhead route.

[giftgrub]

Hopefully the Stena Line route managers won't regret turning down the Stena Nordica for the route when offered last year as the passenger capacity was too low for the route.

[TC]

I agree with you both, Irish Ferries would be pretty dumb, to loose the upper hand, and definitely would be basically looking to just reduce the passenger capacity a bit, and try for a younger, more efficient vessel. IoM, I think would be well placed as Ulysees running mate, and certainly be more than an adversary for the Superfast X than Epsilon!

I agree with you giftgrub, Stena Nordica isn't really cut out for Fishguard, as the sole vessel. Her capacity in my opinion was always very low, and when you travelled on Stena Adventurer, and then on the Nordica, you certainly felt like you had been taken down a peg or two. Personally I prefer her two sisters interior, there's just something about sharp retro interiors on Stena ships that I don't like! And I preferred how P&O didn't cut half the forward lounge in half to make way for a truckers lounge. The softer colours I find help relax you, like nice navy blues, creams, and greys.

Griolata in my opinion would be an excellent replacement for Stena Europe, despite her age (20), she still looks very smart.

http://www.ferry-site.dk/ferry.php?id=9088859