where do we think stenas new ships will end up

[giftgrub]

Going off topic here, but

Lagan and Mersey could end up replacing Horizon in Rosslare, offering daily departures to France.

Horizon and Epsilon cost 15,000 US Dollars a day to rent, to Stena and IF respectively, could even see Epsilon in Stena colours when charter with IF ends, Horizon and Epsilon on Rosslare Spain service !

[PaddyL]

Going off topic here, but

Lagan and Mersey could end up replacing Horizon in Rosslare, offering daily departures to France.

Horizon and Epsilon cost 15,000 US Dollars a day to rent, to Stena and IF respectively, could even see Epsilon in Stena colours when charter with IF ends, Horizon and Epsilon on Rosslare Spain service !

Nothing is confirmed yet - not even that the first e-flexers are replacing the Mersey and Lagan.

The suggestion of a 2-ship Rosslare - Cherbourg service will really depend on what happens on the back of ICG's changes to their French service.

As for the suggestion of a Spanish route, let's see how BF fare before getting excited about adding another two ships to such services.

[Davy Jones]

Would there be enough traffic to justify a 2 ship service, especially given the competition from WB Yeats?

[PaddyL]

Would there be enough traffic to justify a 2 ship service, especially given the competition from WB Yeats?

Exactly. Plus from the autumn the Epsilon will be sailing from Dublin to Cherbourg against the Stena Horizon at Rosslare on the same days.

This is a lot more capacity than the Oscar Wilde was providing and she was sailing on opposite days.

Will market grow?  Will traffic move from Rosslare to the Epsilon at Dublin?

ICG have clearly done some research with customers and are confident in their plan but time will tell.  Certainly doesn't feel like time (yet) to be talking of Stena expansion on the route.

[Steven]

To be honest a lot could change by 2020, and thats if all 4 vessels are delivered on-time (though AVIC just launched a RoPax for Chinese interests ahead of schedule).  Talk of the Birkenhead Visentini's being replaced by eflexers has died down quite a bit now despite the previous Stena announcement about all 4 coming to Belfast - obviously things have changed a lot since that announcement with the acquisition of the 2 Superfast's and the agreement to charter an eflexer to BF anyway.  That announcement was made less than a year ago, so perhaps a good demonstration of how quickly things can change!

At the moment it looks most likely the newbuilds will replace Visentini tonnage somewhere, but at the end of the day who really knows?  Do Stena really know for sure themselves, or is it a case they'll go to the most suitable routes when completed?  They have been designed to be flexible after all. The only vessel we know about for certain is the one going to Brittany Ferries. 

ICG aren't stupid.  If they are confident enough to put a brand new ship on the Dublin to France route they must have done their research, including talking to their partners in the haulage industry.  They obviously feel the demand is there, and to be honest it would also be in line with the shift of traffic patterns north on IE-UK services. 

I could be wrong here, but IIRC Horizon is chartered at a decent rate.  She fits the route well so would it really make sense to replace her just for the heck of it?  Visentini might even decide to cash in and sell her to Stena for all we know anyway.

[NathanBrady]

I think Scandinavia and another 1 for britanny ferrys

[giftgrub]

Britanny Ferries are taking option 6 for UK Spain.

Five year charter with option to purchase.

[giftgrub]

https://brittanyferriesnewsroom.com/brittany-ferries-invests-in-two-new-cruise-ferries-for-long-haul-spanish-routes/

[IFPete]

Its possible the fleet size will go to 10 or more.

Stena will most likely use these to replace ships in Baltic and perhaps DFDS and P&O might order more for Dover. P&O might even consider them for Dublin - Liverpool.

[Andrew White]

What about two E-flexers for P&O to replace the Pride of Bruge and Pride of York on the Hull - Zeebrugge route.

[giftgrub]

What about two E-flexers for P&O to replace the Pride of Bruge and Pride of York on the Hull - Zeebrugge route.

And possibly two for Dover Calais !!!

Not impossible, there were lots of rumours last week that P&O were about to place an order with a European yard for two new Dover Calais vessels, given how DFDS have taken An E Flexer for Dover Calais, not too late for P&O to get two built for Dover spec and chartered from Stena RoRo !

[MVW85]

e flexer 1 will heading to Holyhead. No2 to Bikenhead, No3 to Brittany Ferries and No5 Birkenhead

[Davy Jones]

Confirmation:

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/stena-line-bring-new-giant-14760036

[RorieLen]

Confirmation:

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/stena-line-bring-new-giant-14760036

No surprises... but good to have it confirmed. Here's another (better?) overview.

https://www.niferry.co.uk/stena-line-announces-new-ferries-belfast-birkenhead-dublin-holyhead/

[Steven]

Confirmation:

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/stena-line-bring-new-giant-14760036

No surprises... but good to have it confirmed. Here's another (better?) overview.

https://www.niferry.co.uk/stena-line-announces-new-ferries-belfast-birkenhead-dublin-holyhead/

Thanks Rorie, you beat me to it ;).

Great to finally have confirmation of what was suspected for some time.  It will certainly be interesting to see how the formula differs between the Dublin vessel and the Birkenhead pair, as well as the DFDS and Brittany Ferries examples.  We already know Brittany Ferries are forgoing the separate car deck in lieu of additional passenger accommodation, and I very much doubt DFDS will want so many cabins on a short sea vessel which is on a 10-year charter. Brittany Ferries and DFDS also appear to be looking after their own passenger spaces so we could end up with a series of vessels that look very similar outside but are very different inside.  With E-Flexer and the series of RoPax vessels coming out of FSG in the next few years, as enthusiasts we will certainly have a lot to compare!

What about two E-flexers for P&O to replace the Pride of Bruge and Pride of York on the Hull - Zeebrugge route.

And possibly two for Dover Calais !!!

Not impossible, there were lots of rumours last week that P&O were about to place an order with a European yard for two new Dover Calais vessels, given how DFDS have taken An E Flexer for Dover Calais, not too late for P&O to get two built for Dover spec and chartered from Stena RoRo !

I'm reliably informed that P&O aren't in a position to place/announce an order just yet.  They also seem determined to go their own way and I wouldn't be surprised to see something different from them.  Likewise with the DFDS E-Flexer, it'll be a different beast to the Stena Line and Brittany Ferries examples.  If I had to put money on it I'd say the final two E-Flexer options will go to Stena's Baltic services.