Stena signs order for two additional ships

Belfast Welcomes Stena Forerunner

Captain Marcel Schaar of the Stena Forerunner is welcomed by Belfast Harbour CEO Joe O’Neill and Anna Breen, Stena Line’s Freight Commercial Manager (Irish Sea North) ahead of the ferry’s first sailing from Belfast to Liverpool.

The 3,000 lane metre Stena Forerunner has been introduced as a result to growing market demand and the need for increased capacity and will increase weekly freight capacity on the service by almost 10%. Paul Grant, Stena Line Trade Director commented: “We are delighted to welcome the Stena Forerunner to Belfast and the introduction and investment of this larger vessel demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the freight market. This year we’re experiencing strong growth of 6% on the Belfast to Liverpool route and future plans include the introduction of two new build ferries on this service during spring 2020 and early 2021.”

Joe O’Neill, Belfast Harbour CEO, Captain Marcel Schaar, Stena Forerunner and Anna Breen, Stena Line’s Freight Commercial Manager (Irish Sea North).

Stena signs order for two additional E-Flexer ships

Stena has decided to exercise its option to build a seventh and eighth E-Flexer vessel. The two vessels will be deployed within Stena Line’s route network with a planned delivery in 2022.

Additionally, Stena RoRo has taken an option on the construction of a further four E-Flexer vessels also to be built at Avic Weihai Shipyard, China. “We foresee increasing demand for freight capacity in Northern Europe and our new vessels fit very well in matching anticipated market developments as we prepare ourselves for further expansion. At this stage we haven’t decided where within our route network these two vessels will be deployed and are currently evaluating several options,” says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO Stena Line. As with the previous E-Flexer vessels ordered by Stena, energy efficiency and sustainability will be key design features. “We want to lead the development of sustainable shipping and set new industry standards when it comes to operational performance, emissions and cost competiveness,” says Niclas Mårtensson. The two new ships on order will be larger than the three E-Flexer designs currently being built for Stena Line. The first three E-Flexer ships will be 215 metres long with 3 100 lane meters whilst the next two ships will measure 240 metres with a freight capacity of 3 600 lane metres. A total of eight vessels have now been ordered by Stena from Avic Weihai Shipyard in China. The first one is planned to operate on HolyheadDublin and the next two delivered to Stena Line are planned to operate on the Liverpool-Belfast service. Three other vessels will be chartered out to external ferry operators by Stena RoRo.

DFDS Order New Freight Ferry to Accommodate Growth

DFDS has ordered an additional freight ferry new build from the Chinese Jinling Shipyard.

The new build is similar to the five previously ordered freight ferries and likewise designed to carry 6,700 lane metres of freight equivalent to around 450 trailers. The large capacity decreases unit costs as well as the environmental impact per transported unit. This, in addition to the recently ordered ferries will help DFDS customers grow their business and increase DFDS’ operational efficiency in the route networks in northern Europe and the Mediterranean. The new ferries will be deployed in the route network according to customer demand for capacity. The first two new ferries are expected to be received in the beginning of next year, the third and fourth in the second half of 2019 and the last two in the first half of 2020. DFDS’ fleet extension and renewal programme also includes two combined freight and passenger ferries to be delivered in 2021 for deployment in the Baltic route network. In addition, two ro-ro ferries are being lengthened to increase capacity, and a chartered combined freight and passenger ferry will be delivered in 2021 for deployment on The English Channel routes.

Stena Line vessels recognised for safe operations

An unprecedented eight Stena Line ferries operating on the Irish Sea have received the prestigious Jones F. Devlin Award from the Chamber of Shipping of America (CSA), acknowledging the skills and dedication of the men and women responsible for safe vessel operations.

According to the CSA, the Jones F. Devlin Awards publicly recognise ‘outstanding achievement’, exemplifying ‘devotion to duty and to the principles of maritime safety, which is worthy of the highest commendation.” This year, eight Stena Line ferries on the Irish Sea, along with a ninth ship operating on the Gdynia to Karlskrona route have been recognised for operating between two and five consecutive years without a lost-time accident. Bjarne Koitrand, Technical Operations Director at Stena Line, said: “Safety for our passengers and employees always comes first at Stena Line, and forms a very

important part of the Stena Line Group’s strategy for a sustainable future. This achievement reaffirms the positive trend we have seen in the Lost-Time-Injury-Frequency during the last years.” Stena Line Trade Director (Irish Sea South) Ian Davies also commented on his pride at a ‘remarkable’ achievement. “For a ship to operate for three consecutive years without a single lost time accident is a fantastic achievement – for eight of our Irish Sea fleet to pick up this award is truly remarkable,” said Mr Davies. “We really couldn’t be more proud of all our colleagues on the Irish Sea.”

Red7Marine Combats Marine Skill Shortage With New Training Academy

With Red7Marine continuing to expand, the company is now uniquely positioned to provide a tailor-made training platform for people looking to start a career in the marine industry.

The bespoke training course has been specifically designed to help combat the longstanding skill shortage within the Marine Construction industry. As a value led organisation, Red7Marine has taken a proactive approach to the skills shortage, transforming its previous HQ at Wrabness in Essex into a new dedicated training centre. The two-week Marine Recruits Foundation course combines classroom activities with a practical hands-on approach, teaching recruits valuable marine skills which will

be used throughout their careers. The bespoke training course offers delegates the opportunity to learn a range of basic skills before joining their on-site teams. The course is not only offered to Red7Marine recruits but also to other companies working in the industry looking to provide their employees with specialist marine training. The Marine Partner of Choice was one of the founding members of IJUBOA and maintaining high standards across the industry is incredibly important to Red7Marine as a leading provider to the industry. Safety is deeply ingrained in the culture of Red7Marine and by the end of the two-week foundation course recruits will be able to safely join a highly skilled team to gain practical experience across one of many sites throughout the UK. The course is a starting point in the Marine Construction and Renewables industry which could lead to a career pathway across a wide range of roles that include Bargemasters, Maintenance Engineers, Construction Operatives and many more.