Stena Line - New Tonnage for North Channel

Started by ScottMackey, March 05, 2011, 05:25:28 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

ScottMackey

It would appear that Stena Line are in the process of procuring SUPERFAST VII and SUPERFAST VIII for the Belfast - Loch Ryan Port Route. The vessels are currently in service with Tallink and will pass to Stena for rebuilding and refurbishment following the summer before a handover scheduled for mid-October and entry into service at the start of November, from which time the new Loch Ryan Port will become operational.

STENA CALEDONIA, STENA NAVIGATOR and STENA VOYAGER HSS will remain in service to Stranraer until the end of October, following which they are expected to be offered for sale.

ScottMackey

I believe an announcement from Stena is expected this coming week, perhaps tomorrow (Monday) regarding the purchase of Superfast VII and VIII for the North Channel. They will have most of their cabins removed in a major internal rebuild which will increase vehicle deck headroom and provide accomodation for 1200+ passengers.

It is likely they will adopt generic non-geographical names (as per the current Stena naming policy).

I visited Stena Caledonia in dry dock at Harland and Wolff this afternoon at the kind invitation of her Senior Master, Captain Murray Paterson. This is likely to be the final time a Belfast built ship will be seen in the drydock at the yard that built her. I hope to have some photos online at http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottmackey this evening or tomorrow...

giftgrub

Thats amazing news, I was wondering where they were going to get the vessels from, Stena seem to be in a spending mood at the moment, the purchase and conversion of these ships will cost quite a few Swedish Krona.

Collision-course

These two ships are an exellent choice for the service , I look forward to seeing them after they have been Stenaised.

ScottMackey

Interesting this is a charter agreement and not a purchase - announcement #1 from Tallink this morning;

Published: 2011-03-07 08:50:00 CET 
 
Tallink Grupp
Company Announcement
Chartering of Superfast vessels
Tallinn, 2011-03-07 08:50 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chartering of Superfast vessels

The subsidiaries of AS Tallink Grupp, Baltic SF VII Ltd and Baltic SF VIII Ltd have concluded the charter agreements with Stena Line Ltd for M/S Superfast VII and M/S Superfast VIII. The vessels will be delivered after the end of the high season in August 2011. Until then they are operated on their current route by Tallink. The agreed charter period is three years with the charterers’ option to extend for one additional year. The vessels will be operated in the UK waters.

Tallink has been operating M/S Superfast VII and M/S Superfast VIII between Finland and Germany since April 2006. As a result of the increased competition on the route, the increased fuel prices and global recession in the past few years the financial result of Finland-Germany segment of Tallink has become negative. For the 2009/2010 financial year Tallink reported a loss of EUR 14 million from this segment. The prospective charter will improve the result of these vessels so that they will be generating a profit.


         Harri Hanschmidt
         Head of Investor Relations
         
         AS Tallink Grupp
         Sadama 5/7. 10111 Tallinn
         Tel +372 640 8981
         E-mail harri.hanschmidt@tallink.



ScottMackey

ANNOUNCEMENT #2 from Stena Line;

STENA LINE THINKS BIG WITH NEW SHIPS
FOR ITS SCOTLAND-NORTHERN IRELAND SERVICE

Ferry company brings in two of the biggest ships ever to work the Scotland-N. Ireland route

Leading ferry company Stena Line today confirmed the addition of two new Superfast ferries on its service between Scotland and Northern Ireland in Autumn 2011 to coincide with the opening of its new £80m Loch Ryan Port at Cairnryan.

Sister ships Superfast VII and Superfast VIII will replace the HSS Stena Voyager, Stena Caledonia and Stena Navigator, which currently operate between the two countries.

The Superfast vessels, the biggest ships ever to operate on the Scotland-Northern Ireland route, will cater for both passenger and freight traffic. For freight customers, the ships will be altered to allow for extra deck height to accommodate the trend for higher, more efficient freight units.

Each ship can carry up to 1,200 passengers, around 660 cars or 110 freight vehicles and will be able to complete the journey between Scotland and the heart of Belfast in 2 hours, 15 minutes. They each have a gross tonnage of 30,285 and are capable of travelling at 27 knots. The ships will be leased from Tallink, the Baltic Sea shipping group.

The introduction of the new ships to the route later this year will coincide with the opening of Stena Line's purpose built £80M port facility at Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan in Scotland, which will replace its current base at Stranraer.

Gunnar Blomdahl, Managing Director of Stena Line said: "This investment is another stage in Stena Line's ongoing multi million pound investment program which aims to take the Stena Line fleet to the next level. I'm convinced that the changes on this route will be very positive for our customers between Scotland and Northern Ireland."

Before the ships are deployed on the route both vessels will be given extensive refits to ensure that they deliver a great experience with new attractive onboard concepts for restaurants and public areas and as well as providing
complete flexibility for freight operators. The upgrades will include the provision of extra deck height to cater for the trend towards higher vehicles and hauliers' increased use of double –deck freight units.

Frank Nieuwenhuys, Freight Commercial Manager, Stena Line UK and Ireland said: "Belfast is now firmly established as the logistics focal point in Northern Ireland and the deployment of the new ships later this year will coincide with the opening of our new purpose built £80m port facility at Loch Ryan Port, Cairnryan in Scotland, which will replace our current base in Stranraer.
[more...]

He added: "The new ships will connect these two key locations, delivering unparalleled service ahead of expectations, to the ever-demanding logistics
sector. The new ships will be the largest vessels ever to operate between Scotland and Northern Ireland and will provide Stena Line with increased operational efficiency by replacing three ships with two. With a journey time of
2hr 15mins to the heart of Belfast freight customers can look forward to a great service direct to and from Northern Ireland's capital."
[ends]


MEDIA ENQUIRIES: For further information please contact Fiona Brown at Duffy
Rafferty Communications on Belfast (028) 9073 0880.


Fast Ferry Fan

#6
Journey times of 2 hours and 15mins suggest they are faster than conventional ferries.  I presume they are not as thirsty as the HSS though?

Can we expect a similar strategy on the central route?

If these vessels are chartered there must be a risk that the owners might want them back in 4 years.

ScottMackey

#7
They are capable of 27 knots, but would probably not operate at quite that speed and much more frugal than an HSS. The plan is, I'd say, for newbuilds in 3-4 years, hence the charter period.

maehara

Will particularly miss Navigator, myself - I've two more trips scheduled on her before she's taken off the route, will make the most of them.

Can't deny the lure of travelling on a new-to-me ship, though, and I'm sure Stena will do them up internally as well as or better than the current ones...

Collision-course

I would agree that it is likely that these 2 ships being chartered points to new tonnage in a few years , it may also be possible that Stena are waiting to see how the restructured service works out before committing to new vessels for it , equally if these 2 work out Stena may look to purchase them from Tallink.
As for the central route , I dont see Stena Adventurer going anywhere for the forseeable future (nor would I want too as she is a fine vessel) , I think its likely that Stena will operate the Stena Lynx III from Dun Laoghaire once Stena Explorer has departed with the future of fastcraft services at Rosslare in doubt (this would tie in with Stena Europe being replaced with a larger/faster vessel).

Andrew White

#10
Any one know if Stena has a proposed timetable from each port does anyone have a schedule yet.  Is there an official launch date for the new ships and new port.

ScottMackey

QuoteAny one know if Stena has a proposed timetable from each port does anyone have a schedule yet.  Is there an official launch date for the new ships and new port.

Should start on 1st Nov if all goes to plan, no timetable published yet...

FlyingCello

#12
Hi folks, new here, but a long standing ferry buff, right from the childhood days of the Antrim and Ailsa on the North Channel!

Looking forward to seeing the new Superfast ships in Belfast...two questions though.

1. What is the extent of the work being done to prepare them for the North Channel?

2. Are there any plans to run 'farewell' trips on the Voyager, Caledonia or Navigator?

Sam

ScottMackey

#13
Hi Sam,

By all accounts the work to the Superfast ships is very extensive - increasing vehicle deck headroom (will be interesting to see how they do this!) and total gutting and rebuild of the interior.

As regards farewell trips, Stena Caledonia's Senior Master Captain Murray Paterson has made proposals to the company for an event/cruise to mark her 30th anniversary in August. I have been working with him on some articles about the ship, one of which will be in June's edition of Ships Monthly (out 29th April). In any case, this year (for the first time in a long while) non-landers are available on the Caledonia and Navigator as well as the long-standing availability of such trips on HSS Voyager.

Scott

steven_shaw

It will be a very sade day when the Caledonia leave belfast

And also with the withdrawl of the HSS stena will make a step back of 15 years and deffo not the way too compete with low cost airlines