Stena Line fleet movements

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The Stena Trader has left the Killingholme - Hook of Holland service and has been replaced by Coraggio which is on charter from Grimaldi until late 2011 , Stena Trader will head to drydock to be shortened and modified for its long term charter to Marine Atlantic.
The Stena Seafarer was switched to the Belfast - Stranraer service to cover for Stena Navigator which was forced to drydock early due to ongoing technical problems with the vessel .
There has been a rumor circulating that Stena Europe may transfer to Belfast to replace Stena Navigator early should the Stena Europe be released from the Rosslare - Fishguard service in the near future.
Below from www.shipspotting.com , Coraggio , Stena Trader and Stena Seafarer , and from www.faktaomfartyg.se , Stena Navigator.

[ScottMackey]

There is virtually no way the Stena Europe would come to Belfast - the double deck linkspans at both Belfast and Stranraer are in no way suitable for the ship. Problems with the Stena Navigator should be sorted now and she will, according to Stena, remain in service with the Stena Caledonia and HSS Stena Voyager until autumn 2011 when the new port is opened at Loch Ryan and two newer larger and faster conventional ferries enter service.

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Stena Caledonia is temporarily being used as a stern loader only after failure of the hydrolic rams in its bow door , given the age of the vessel replacment parts are no longer available so the existing rams have been removed and sent for reconditioning , it is not known how long the bow door will be out of use.

Below , the Stena Caledonia from www.shipspotting.com

[giftgrub]

The Stena Vision has left Gothenburg after a major refit to begin service on the Karlskrona-Gydinia route.

Picture and details from this site:

http://www.landgangen.se/forumsmf10/index.php?topic=17504.90

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The former Stena Britannica was damaged by an accidental fire while undergoing its transformation into the new Stena Scandinavica at Remontowa , the repairs will add another 4 weeks to the overhaul time.

Below from www.shipspotting.com , the former Stena Britannica.

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As noted elsewhere Stena Line has aquired the Belfast - Heysham and Belfast - Birkenhead services from DFDS Seaways , the 3 ports are included in the sale.
Vessels transfering from DFDS are Scotia Seaways and Hibernia Seaways , chartered Lagan Seaways and Mersey Seaways also transfer to Stena Line who intends to purchase them from their leassors.
Stena Line have also announced the closure of the Larne - Fleetwood service , the 3 vessels on that service , Stena Seafarer , Stena Pioneer and Stena Leader are all expected to be sold after the closure of the route , however Stena Seafarer is expected to cover for the refit of Stena Europe before disposal.
As mentioned above Stena Europe will head for refit in early febuary , after running on 3 engines for the best part of a year , a new engine block for Stena Europe is currently being machined for installation during refit.

Below from www.shipspotting.com (at least 2 of these excellent photo's are taken by regular contributors to this site) , commings and goings at Stena Line , entering the fleet are Scotia Seaways , Maersk Importer (currently Hibernia Seaways) , Lagan Seaways and Mersey Viking (currently Mersey Seaways) and leaving the fleet are Stena Leader , Stena pioneer and Stena Seaways , and soon to be refitted Stena Europe

[giftgrub]

The Stena Trader is now known as the Blue Puttees and here are some pictures of the ship after its shortening and the addition of extra passenger accomodation.

Images Taken from

http://www.vesseltracker.com/de/ShipPhotos/658209-Stena-Trader-9331177.html

and

http://www.forum-schiff.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=49773#p49773

and for an explanation of the new name, some details on the Marine Atlantic site:

http://www.marine-atlantic.ca/en/fleet/index.shtml

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Stena Explorer has arrived at Harland & Wolff for refit , once complete it is thought that it will cover for Stena Voyager while that ship goes for refit.

Below from www.shipspotting.com , the Stena Explorer

[ScottMackey]

STENA EXPLORER will NOT cover for the STENA VOYAGER'S refit. STENA EXPLORER arrived at Harland and Wolff on Tuesday 7th December and is expected to be in drydock for around 2 weeks. It is unsure where she will go after her refit.

STENA VOYAGER will finish service for drydocking at Harland and Wolff on Tuesday 4th January and not return until
Friday 21st January, during this time a slightly revised schedule will operate on the Belfast-Stranraer route;

BELFAST-STRANRAER
0330, 0730, 1230, 1845, 2230

STRANRAER-BELFAST
0330, 0830, 1430, 1830, 2330

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Stena Explorer will NOT cover for the Stena Voyager's refit. Stena Explorer arrived at Harland and Wolff on Tuesday 7th December and is expected to be in drydock for around 2 weeks. It is unsure where she will go after her refit.

Stena Voyager will be drydocked from 5th January, presumably for around 2 weeks also. There will be no cover provided for her on the Stranraer service.

That is very interesting that there will be no cover for fastcraft operationas at Belfast while Stena Voyager is overhauled.

There has been some speculation that Stena Explorer will join Stena Discovery in Central America but there has been no confirmation of this , however , if this turns out to be the case then it would spell the end of fastcraft operations at Rosslare as the Stena Lynx III would be unavailable to the route.
In this event all eyes will then be on Stena Voyager to see if she switches to Dun Laoghaire when HSS operations finish with the move from Stranraer.

[ScottMackey]

Stena are shifting away from fastcraft focus on the North Channel route in preparation for the move to the new Loch Ryan Port next year.

Load factors currently don't support the fastcraft operation at Rosslare, so I'd say the focus of the Lynx II would remain at Dun Laoghaire or Dublin depending on what happens with Dun Laoghaire Harbour!

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With the entry into service of Stena Vision on the Karlskrona - Gydinia service , chartered Finnarrow has switched to the Killingholme - Rotterdam service to release Stena Traveller for refit and shortening before transfer to Marine Atlantic

Below from www.shipspotting.com the Finnarrow departing Rotterdam

[giftgrub]

Stena Explorer has arrived back in Holyhead after its two week refit, possibly sporting some slightly revised Stena Line branding!.

Stena Leader has been withdrawn from the Larne-Fleetwood service, the remaining vessels on that service finish on the 24th December.

[ScottMackey]

I saw STENA EXPLORER towards the end of her refit in Belfast last week and her livery was as it has always been.

STENA LEADER has been laid up in Belfast, at Albert Quay (the old Stena Terminal) and is expected to be joined by STENA PIONEER on Friday. STENA SEAFARER will cover some refits in the new year (STENA EUROPE's in February and possibly some others), but it is unsure where she will spend the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

It is Stena Line's stated intention to send the Fleetwood vessels for scrap after February, by which time it is hoped full clearance will have been given for their takeover of DFDS Seaways' Belfast-Heysham and Birkenhead operations.

STENA CALEDONIA entered a 'wet' Belfast Drydock on Saturday 4th December to have the hydraulic rams replaced on her bow visor - a procedure that took only a few hours after a 9 week wait for parts! She is now operating fully as a drive-through ship once again.

[giftgrub]

Stena Traveller in dry dock at Lloyd Werft, ready to be reduced in size and this as well:

Stena Traveller: 12/15/2010 - 31/01/2011

Shortening by 12.8 m
Increase in passenger capacity from 350 to 1,000 passengers
Enlargement of the structures for 31 crew cabins,
Construction of three lounges with reclining seats and Bar
additional 5 cabins for disabled
two additional MES-slides and two additional lifeboats
An additional lift and staircases
a bow door
an additional ramp
an additional suspension for passenger deck on deck 3
an additional bow thrusters

http://www.forum-schiff.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=3054