According to Shippax,  STENA FORECASTER and STENA FORETELLER have been sold to unknown buyers.  The pair are of course sisters to STENA FORERUNNER (forming the Stena 4-Runner Mk2 class) which is currently the dedicated freight vessel on the Belfast - Birkenhead service.  The latter is expected to move back to the North Sea in the new year when replaced by an as-yet unknown alternative vessel. 

This latest sale means Stena only have one of each Stena 4-Runner Mk1 and Mk2 classes left owned by the group (ARK FORWARDER and STENA FORERUNNER respectively)

According to Shippax,  STENA FORECASTER and STENA FORETELLER have been sold to unknown buyers.  The pair are of course sisters to STENA FORERUNNER (forming the Stena 4-Runner Mk2 class) which is currently the dedicated freight vessel on the Belfast - Birkenhead service.  The latter is expected to move back to the North Sea in the new year when replaced by an as-yet unknown alternative vessel. 

This latest sale means Stena only have one of each Stena 4-Runner Mk1 and Mk2 classes left owned by the group (ARK FORWARDER and STENA FORERUNNER respectively)

Leaves Stena RoRo with a very reduced fleet, looks like they are winding down the chartering operations,  however Stena always spring a surprise, what chance Epsilon (according to Facebook being returned when/if WB Y arrives) arriving to replace  Forerunner in new year ?

Also apparently FSG are going to build more RoRo freight vessels, ideal for Stena RoRo if cheap enough.

According to Shippax,  STENA FORECASTER and STENA FORETELLER have been sold to unknown buyers.  The pair are of course sisters to STENA FORERUNNER (forming the Stena 4-Runner Mk2 class) which is currently the dedicated freight vessel on the Belfast - Birkenhead service.  The latter is expected to move back to the North Sea in the new year when replaced by an as-yet unknown alternative vessel. 

This latest sale means Stena only have one of each Stena 4-Runner Mk1 and Mk2 classes left owned by the group (ARK FORWARDER and STENA FORERUNNER respectively)

Leaves Stena RoRo with a very reduced fleet, looks like they are winding down the chartering operations,  however Stena always spring a surprise, what chance Epsilon (according to Facebook being returned when/if WB Y arrives) arriving to replace  Forerunner in new year ?

Also apparently FSG are going to build more RoRo freight vessels, ideal for Stena RoRo if cheap enough.

Stena tend to build to their own design when ordering new.  The two FSG vessels appear to have been speculatively built for Siem (FSG’s parent) as Tirrenia’s ALF POLLAK and MARIA GRAZIA ONORATO also where. 

I don’t see the chartering operation being wound down - ship buying, selling, and chartering is core to Stena’s operations.  However it is no secret that if the price is right Stena will sell.  These larger vessels are now in demand so it makes sense to move them on while the prices are good - they may have already paid for themselves in charter fees anyway!  Perhaps we’ll see an order for some even bigger Stena RoRo vessels in the near future.  The 4-Runners were big when ordered but compared to what’s being ordered these days are small.  Stena have built a business on ordering vessels before they are in demand after all, and it makes sense to clear the old “stock” before replacing it if the market is favourable!

Interesting times for Stena RoRo ironically when Stena Line could do with some large freighters, their sister company that had them, sell them on.

You are probably correct in that previous charter fees have paid for the ships sold, so they are probably making a handsome profit at the time when they some massive expenditures on the EFlexer series and options for other vessels in the series.

Will be interesting to see what replaces Forerunner in 2019, might Nordica be kept on a Irish Sea ?, Epsilon chartered / purchased or something else?

I think you’ll find they need a dedicated freight ship as opposed to something like Nordica or Epsilon which are passenger vessels. The reason for this is the inability of passenger vessels to carry many classes of hazardous goods which 12 driver RoRo ships are permitted to.

Adventurer departed Dublin about 3 hours late this morning to to a gale from the East closing the Port.

 Europe cancelled from Rosslare tomorrow due stormy forecast.

I think you’ll find they need a dedicated freight ship as opposed to something like Nordica or Epsilon which are passenger vessels. The reason for this is the inability of passenger vessels to carry many classes of hazardous goods which 12 driver RoRo ships are permitted to.

Exactly this.  Prior to the dedicated freight vessel I believe these loads had to go via Heysham. 

Stena Line Ireland - France bookings reported to be 30% up on this time last year.

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/france-bookings-boost-stena-line-irish-ferries-flounders-without-new-ship-431995


(Behind paywall) but given the issues with IF a very believable figure.

#2415
November 26, 2018, 08:35:58 PM
According to Shippax,  STENA FORECASTER and STENA FORETELLER have been sold to unknown buyers.  The pair are of course sisters to STENA FORERUNNER (forming the Stena 4-Runner Mk2 class) which is currently the dedicated freight vessel on the Belfast - Birkenhead service.  The latter is expected to move back to the North Sea in the new year when replaced by an as-yet unknown alternative vessel. 

This latest sale means Stena only have one of each Stena 4-Runner Mk1 and Mk2 classes left owned by the group (ARK FORWARDER and STENA FORERUNNER respectively)


My understanding is that the ARK FORWARDER which is now the MSC BRIDGE was sold by Stena to MSC in May. She was initially chartered by them back in March and operates to Rades in Tunisia from Italy carrying containers which are loaded onto her vehicle decks. MSC apparently wanted the vessel because of delays loading containers conventionally in Tunisa. The sale leaves the Stena Forerunner as the only remaining 4-Runner owned by Stena but for how much longer?

Matt D.

According to the live Stena Line freight timetables the Cherbourg sailings of the STENA HORIZON appear to be cancelled from 1st of January and she appears to be operating on the Birkenhead - Belfast route. Presumably whilst the vessels on there are dry docked?

Matt D.

Not expected, rumors were Stena Nordica coming over to cover all refits on North, Central and Southern channel operations where required.

Further research indicates that Horizon will indeed cover Lagan and Mersey with Nordica covering Horizon.

Also then Nordica will cover all three Superfast refits and the Europe refit.

Unconfirmed rumors that the Nordica is expected to stay in Rosslare covering the Europe for an extended time period, possibly giving an indication that this year refit could be the big life extending overhaul.

According to the live Stena Line freight timetables the Cherbourg sailings of the STENA HORIZON appear to be cancelled from 1st of January and she appears to be operating on the Birkenhead - Belfast route. Presumably whilst the vessels on there are dry docked?

Matt D.

The only "cancellations" I've seen over the past 2 days on the route are what I'd normally expect to see over the Xmas and New Year period.  The problem of course with the live timetable is just that - it's live!  If something is being changed on it then thats what you see, even if it's only temporary while something else is being changed.   At present Horizon is showing as being on her own route and the Birkenhead route at the same time, with Lagan being the other vessel on the Birkenhead run for the entirety of January!  Thats obviously not going to be the case if both vessels are to be dry docked this year, which I believe they are.

It has been normal practice in recent years for Horizon to cover Birkenhead though, while the relief vessel covers the France route (Flavia or Nordica in recent years).  Still no public announcement as to the relief vessel but I'd be surprised if it isn't Nordica tbh.  I'm sure something public will appear in the coming days or weeks anyway, given we are talking 3 weeks away now.  Perhaps they are delaying the "announcement" for operational or commercial reasons?

Edit:  by something public I don’t necessarily mean any specific announcement or press release, more likely the name of the vessel on the timetable will simply change or a different vessel will just appear!  Bookings are still being taken so there’s definitely something running

Yes Steven there must be a live element at play because the Rosslare - Cherbourg sailings of STENA HORIZON were shown as being cancelled throughout the first week of January and resuming part way through the second week when I looked.

Interestingly on the live Birkenhead timetable a random message about Fleetwood - Larne was displayed on Christmas Day!

Matt D

#2415
November 26, 2018, 08:35:58 PM
According to Shippax,  STENA FORECASTER and STENA FORETELLER have been sold to unknown buyers.  The pair are of course sisters to STENA FORERUNNER (forming the Stena 4-Runner Mk2 class) which is currently the dedicated freight vessel on the Belfast - Birkenhead service.  The latter is expected to move back to the North Sea in the new year when replaced by an as-yet unknown alternative vessel. 

This latest sale means Stena only have one of each Stena 4-Runner Mk1 and Mk2 classes left owned by the group (ARK FORWARDER and STENA FORERUNNER respectively)


My understanding is that the ARK FORWARDER which is now the MSC BRIDGE was sold by Stena to MSC in May. She was initially chartered by them back in March and operates to Rades in Tunisia from Italy carrying containers which are loaded onto her vehicle decks. MSC apparently wanted the vessel because of delays loading containers conventionally in Tunisa. The sale leaves the Stena Forerunner as the only remaining 4-Runner owned by Stena but for how much longer?

Matt D.

Nothing about her sale on any of the Stena trading updates that I can see which would be expected if she had sold been like her sisters (as laid-down).