Swedish ferry company, Stena Line has reached another milestone in the build of its NewMax ships – launching Stena Futura into the water and laying the keel of the second ship, to be named Stena Connecta.

Last week, Stena held a joint ‘launch’ and ‘keel-laying’ ceremony at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, Weihai, celebrating the release of Stena Futura into the water for the first time, and the laying of the keel for Stena Connecta, which marks the beginning of the build.

Once operational, Stena Connecta and Stena Futura will enhance freight capacity by 40% on the Belfast-Heysham route in response to an increase in customer demand for services between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The two NewMax hybrid vessels will play a key role in Stena Line’s sustainability journey as they will both be able to operate on methanol fuel. They will also be enhanced with built in technologies that will be able to utilise both battery propulsion and shore power, when available. Stena Line is working closely with methanol suppliers, ensuring future volumes of e-methanol and fulfilling their strategic ambition of shifting to renewable fuels and cutting 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030.

Paul Grant, Trade Director Irish Sea North, Stena Line said: “We’re delighted to announce the name of our second new build ship, Stena Connecta. It is exciting to see the progress being made on our new ships for the Belfast – Heysham route, which as Connecta’s name suggests, provides a vital connection across the Irish Sea for our customers. We’re continuing to see growth on this route and demand from freight customers, therefore we’re certain that the boost in capacity will be welcomed by the market locally.

“Sustainability remains a focus for Stena Line across our business and this is a significant step forward for our fleet as we work to futureproof our business. We’re looking forward to welcoming Stena Futura to the Irish Sea in Autumn 2025.”

Joe O’Neill, CEO of Belfast Harbour said: “Stena Line is one of Belfast Harbour’s most important strategic partners and we welcome the company’s latest significant investment in the key Belfast – Heysham route. It is fantastic to see Stena Line not only respond to increased customer demand by investing in new vessels that will substantially increase freight capacity, but also to see them do so in a way that further improves the sustainability of its fleet.

“As a Trust Port, sustainability is a top priority for Belfast Harbour. Our ambition is to be the first port in the UK and Ireland to reach net zero in our own operations, while also finding effective new ways to work with our partners to tackle emissions in our wider supply chain.”

Phil Hall, Port Director – Mersey & Heysham at Peel Ports Group, said: “The launch of this new Stena Line vessel, along with the keel laying for a second, represents a major milestone in enhancing the sustainability of the vital Heysham to Belfast route.

“The long-standing partnership between Peel Ports Group and Stena Line is built on a shared commitment to reducing carbon emissions, as we transition towards greener, more sustainable fuels and technologies. We’re excited to welcome the first call of the Stena Futura at Heysham Port next year. ”

Stena Line

About the Author: John Loughran