Stena Line

Stena Line is a Swedish shipping line company and one of the largest ferry operators in the world. It services Denmark, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Finland and Sweden. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere.

Stena Line
TypePrivate
IndustryTransport
Founded1962
FounderSten A. Olsson
HeadquartersGothenburg, Sweden
Key people
Niclas Martensson CEO)
ProductsFerries, port services, passenger transportation, freight transportation, holidays, business travel
Revenue 5.0 billion SEK (2015)
Number of employees
5,000 (2015)
ParentStena AB Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.stenaline.com
A miniature model of the Stena Line ferry on display at Madurodam miniature park, the Netherlands.

History

Formation

Stena Line was founded in 1962 by Sten A. Olsson in Gothenburg, Sweden, which still serves as the company's headquarters, when he acquired Skagenlinjen between Gothenburg and Frederikshavn, Denmark.

In 1972, Stena Line was one of the first ferry operators in Europe to introduce a computer-based reservation system for the travel business area. In 1978, the freight business area also started operating a computer-based reservation system.

Freight

The first freight-focused route[1] started between Gothenburg, Sweden, and Kiel, Germany. The ship was the MS Stena Transporter.

North Sea

During the 1980s, Stena acquired three other ferry companies.

  • 1981, Sessan Line, Stena's biggest competitor on Sweden–Denmark routes, was acquired and incorporated into Stena Line.[2] This included Sessan's two large newbuilds, Kronprinsessan Victoria and Prinsessan Birgitta, which became the largest ships operated by Stena by that date.
  • 1983, Stena acquired Varberg-Grenå Linjen, and two years later also the right to that company's former name, Lion Ferry. Lion Ferry continued as a separate marketing company until 1997, when it was incorporated into Stena Line.[3]
  • 1989, Stena acquired yet another ferry company, Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland (SMZ) (which at the time traded under the name Crown Line). SMZ's Hook of HollandHarwich route then became a part of Stena Line.[4]

North America

  • 1988, Jul - Stena Line purchased the British Columbia Steamship Co., operators of a VictoriaSeattle route.[5]
  • 1990, Nov - The Victoria–Seattle run was permanently cancelled, and the local company ceased trading.[6]

Irish Sea

In 1990 Stena Line doubled in size with the acquisition of Sealink British Ferries from Sea Containers. This first became Sealink Stena Line, then Stena Sealink Line and finally Stena Line (UK), which now operates all of Stena's ferry services between Great Britain and Ireland.

Stena Superfast X arriving at Dublin (2017)
Stena Jutlandica in Gothenburg

In 1996, Stena Line introduced its 20,000 tonne HSS (High-speed Sea Service) vessels, which operated: Belfast-Stranraer; Holyhead-Dún Laoghaire and Hook of Holland-Harwich. In addition to the three 1,500-passenger HSS vessels, Stena Line ordered two smaller 900-passenger HSS vessels to operate on the GothenburgFrederikshavn route. Due to the bankruptcy of the shipyard, only the first of these vessels was ever completed.

English channel

In 1998, Stena's operations from Dover and Newhaven formed a joint venture with P&O European Ferries as P&O Stena Line, owned 40% - 60% respectively. In 2002, P&O acquired all of Stena's shares in the company, thus becoming the sole owner of P&O Stena Line, which soon changed its name to P&O Ferries.

Further expansion

In 2000, Stena Line purchased yet another Scandinavian ferry operator: Scandlines AB.

In November 2006, Stena ordered a pair of "super ferries" with a gross tonnage of 62,000 from Aker Yards, Germany for delivery in 2010, with an option for two more ships of the same design.[7] The new ferries will be amongst the largest in the world,[8] to be operated on Stena's North Sea route from Hook of Holland to Harwich. The existing ships from the North Sea were to be moved to the Kiel–Gothenborg route, whereas the ships from Kiel would transfer to the Gdynia to Karlskrona route. The new ferries were launched in 2010, with Stena Hollandica entering service on 16 May 2010, and Stena Britannica planned to enter service in the autumn of 2010.[9]

Acquisitions and closures

  • 2008, May - The company moved its Belfast Terminal from Albert Quay to the new VT4. This has reduced the length of the crossing to Stranraer by ten minutes.
  • 2009, July - Stena Line announced that it had repurchased its former ship, Stena Parisien, from SeaFrance. The ship was renamed Stena Navigator after a comprehensive refit. She was then introduced on the Stranraer to Belfast route, alongside HSS Stena Voyager and Stena Caledonia.
  • 2010, December - Stena Line announced it had acquired the Northern Irish operations of DFDS Seaways. The sale includes the Belfast to Heysham & Birkenhead routes, two vessels from the Heysham route (Scotia Seaways & Hibernia Seaways) and two chartered vessels from the Birkenhead route (Mersey Seaways & Lagan Seaways).[10] The Fleetwood to Larne route ended on 24 December 2010.
  • 2011, November 21 - Stena Line introduced the Stena Superfast VII and Stena Superfast VIII to replace the Stena Navigator and Stena Caledonia on the Belfast-Cairnryan route. It was announced that the Stena Voyager would be removed from service on 20 November 2011. It was later sold to Stena Recycling and sent for scrapping in May 2013. The two new vessels were initially chartered from Tallink before Stena bought them in 2017.
  • 2014, February 26 - it was announced that Stena Line would acquire the Celtic Link ferry service from Rosslare to Cherbourg, France. It was also agreed to take over the charter of their vessel Celtic Horizon, which was renamed Stena Horizon.[11]
  • 2019, February - A joint venture with Hyundai Glovis has been announced and approved by the European Commission, for the implementation of a new cooperative short sea intra-European waters service in between the two carriers, for the sea transport of transhipment cargo originating from South Korea.[12]
  • 2020, March 14 - due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the company suspended operations between Oslo and Frederikshavn temporarily until further notice due to travel restrictions in Denmark and Norway, the routes sole ship the MS Stena Saga was sent to Gothenburg where she arrived on 16 March 2020 where the company later confirmed it would be making 950 redundancies in Sweden as a result of Coronavirus. The company then later announced on 19 March 2020 that it was going to permanently suspend and close operations on the Oslo-Frederikshavn service due to the lack of profitability, where Stena announced that due to Coronavirus it was unlikely able to see it turn a profit during the whole year when the service is totally dependent on the summer season. The future of Stena Saga remains uncertain and remained laid up in Gothenburg (since end of 2021 she has been anchored near Manila, Philippines).
  • 2020 - 2021 - After being replaced by two new e-flexers, MV Stena Embla and MV Stena Edda, on the Belfast to Birkenhead route MV Stena Mersey and MV Stena Lagan proceeded to Tuzla, Turkey for a major refit. This included lengthening by 36m, adding full drive through capabilities on two decks, full interior renovation and adding fuel scrubbers to reduce emissions. They entered service on the Nynäshamn to Ventspils route as MV Stena Baltica and MV Stena Scandica respectively.[13][14]
  • 2021, February - May - Due to a shift in travel demand, MV Stena Estrid swapped with MV Stena Horizon giving additional capacity to the Rosslare to Cherbourg route. This is after MV Stena Estrid operated a temporary route between Dublin and Cherbourg in January 2021.
  • 2021, April - Stena introduced MV Stena Livia, which has been owned by Stena RoRo since 2012, on the Nynäshamn to Ventspils route alongside sister ship MV Stena Flavia. Later in the year they were transferred to the Travemünde to Liepāja route after being replaced by the newly refurbished MV Stena Baltica and MV Stena Scandica.[15]
  • 2021, June - July - Due to a shift in travel demand, MV Stena Estrid operated a temporary route between Holyhead and Belfast.[16]
  • 2022, February 1 - Stena introduced the Nynäshamn - Hanko route initially with MV Urd as a cargo vessel then additionally with MV Stena Gothica from May 2022.[17]
  • 2023, June 30 - Stena transferred MV Stena Vision to their Rosslare to Cherbourg route, greatly increasing the passenger capacity and doubling the passenger sailings on the route. She replaced the chartered freight vessel MV Seatruck Panorama.[18] She was replaced by the new MV Stena Ebba on her previous route Karlskrona to Gdynia.
  • 2023, October 9 - Stena announced they will be closing the Nynäshamn to Hanko on 20 October 2023, with the vessels being transferred within their fleet or going up on the charter market.[19]
  • 2023, October - Stena bought MV Frijsenborg, renaming her MV Stena Forwarder during a refit in Ostend.[20]

Routes

Irish Sea

North Sea

Scandinavia

Baltic Sea

Relief or chartered out

Fleet

Current ships

Name Built Gross Tonnage Passengers Notes Images
Stena Adventurer200343,5321,500
Stena Baltica (formerly Stena Mersey)200526,500 (as built)980Lengthened in 2020.
Stena Britannica201063,0391,200
Stena Danica198315,8992,300
Stena Ebba202245,0001200The Fifth E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line.
Stena Edda201941,671927The second E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line.
Stena Embla202041,671927The third E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line.
Stena Estelle202245,0001200The Fourth E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line.
Stena Estrid201940,500927The first E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line.
Stena Europe198124,8281,400
Stena Flavia200826,904830
Stena Forecaster200324,68812
Stena Forerunner200324,68812
Stena Foreteller200324,68812
Stena Forwarder 2016 21,966 12
Stena Germanica200151,837[24]1,300
Stena Gothica198113,294186Rebuilt 1991/1993/2001
Stena Hibernia199613,01712
Stena Hollandica201063,0391,200
Stena Horizon200627,552972
Stena Jutlandica199629,6911,500
Stena Livia200826,904880
Stena Nautica198611,763663
Stena Nordica200024,206405Rebuilt in 2023
Stena Scandica (formerly Stena Lagan)200526,500 (as built)980Lengthened in 2021.
Stena Scandinavica200355,050900
Stena Scotia199613,60012
Stena Spirit198839,1931,700
Stena Superfast VII200130,2851,200Stena took ownership from Tallink in December 2017.
Stena Superfast VIII200130,2851,200Stena took ownership from Tallink in December 2017.
Stena Transit201133,690300
Stena Transporter201133,690300
Stena Vision198139,1781,700
Stena Vinga200514551400
Mecklenburg-Vorpommen199637,987600
Skåne199828,960600
Urd198111,030186Urd IMO 7826855 R Travemünde 13-02-2021 (1)

Currently Chartered Vessels

Fiona Sea 2009 25,609 12
Jutlandia Sea 2010 25,609 12
Somerset (formerly Spaarneborg) 1999 21,005 12

Formerly Stena Vessels

POL Stella (formerly Hatche) 2009 29,004 12 HATCHE (50315571597)
POL Maris 2009 29,904 12 POL MARIS (50562957306)
Seatruck Panorama 2009 14,759 12 Chartered from Seatruck Ferries. SEATRUCKPANORAMA

Future fleet

On 10 May 2023, Stena has announced that they had ordered 2 NewMax freight hybrid freight vessels for the Belfast - Heysham route. They are due to begin service in Autumn 2025, giving a 80% boost in capacity to the current ships at 147 meters long with 2,800 lane meters. The NewMax vessels will be methanol powered and has built in electrification including for shore power and battery propulsion. [25]

See also

References

Notes

  1. Chiefly a freight route. However passengers and cars are transported
  2. "Sessan Linjen" (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
  3. "Lion Ferry" (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
  4. "Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland" (in Swedish). Fakta om Fartyg. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
  5. "Prince George Citizen". www.pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca. 15 July 1988. p. 1.
  6. "Prince George Citizen". www.pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca. 14 November 1990. p. 2.
  7. "Press release 9. 11. 2006". Aker Yards. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
  8. "Stena Line announces major investment in innovative ferries". Stena Line press release. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
  9. "'Superferry' in maiden Harwich crossing". BBC News. 16 May 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  10. "DFDS sells Irish Sea ferry routes". DFDS A/S. Retrieved 3 December 2010.
  11. "Stena Line buys Celtic Link ferry service". RTÉ News. 26 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  12. "EU gives green light to Stena Hyundai Glovis joint-venture". World maritime News. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  13. "Two new vessels to join our Baltic Sea fleet next year - Stena Line Freight". www.stenalinefreight.com. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  14. "Stena Scandica - Stena Line Freight". www.stenalinefreight.com. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  15. "Stena Livia joins the Baltic Sea fleet - Stena Line Freight". www.stenalinefreight.com. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  16. "New temporary ferry service between Holyhead and Belfast - Stena Line Freight". www.stenalinefreight.com. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  17. "Our new freight route launched on 1 February - Stena Line Freight". www.stenalinefreight.com. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. "Stena Vision in service on our Rosslare-Cherbourg route - Stena Line Freight". www.stenalinefreight.com. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  19. "Discontinuation of our route between Nynäshamn in Sweden and Hanko in Finland from 20 October 2023 - Stena Line Freight". www.stenalinefreight.com. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  20. "MV Stena Forwarder (ex Frijsenborg) – Past and Present". Dover Ferry Photos. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  21. "Stena Line expands its Ireland-France ferry service - StenaLine.com". www.stenaline.com. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  22. "Stena Line to replace STENA EUROPE with STENA NORDICA on Fishguard – Rosslare route - StenaLine.com". www.stenaline.com. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  23. "Stena Forecaster – Stena Roro". stenaroro.com. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  24. "Stena Line – Our ships". Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  25. "Stena Line boosts freight capacity on Irish Sea with two all-new NewMax hybrid vessels - StenaLine.com". stenaline.com. Retrieved 10 May 2023.

Bibliography

  • Brogren, Klas; Bergenek, Anders; Sahlsten, Rickard (2012). Stena Line: the story of a ferry company. Göteborg: Stena Line. ISBN 9789186687236.
  • Cowsill, Miles; Hendy, John; Haalmeijer, Frank (1993). Harwich-Hoek van Holland: 100 years of service / 100 jaar verdienst. Narberth, Pembrokeshire: Ferry Publications. ISBN 1871947154.
  • Cowsill, Miles; Hendy, John (1996). Holyhead-Dun Laoghaire: from car ferry to HSS. Narberth, Pembrokeshire: Ferry Publications. OCLC 484331905.
  • Cowsill, Miles; Hendy, John (1997). Stena Line: the fleet. Narberth, Pembrokeshire: Ferry Publications. ISBN 1871947448.
  • Cowsill, Miles (2006). Fishguard-Rosslare: the official 1906-2006 anniversary book of Stena Line. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN 1871947820.
  • Cowsill, Miles (1998). Stranraer-Larne: the car-ferry era. Narberth, Pembrokeshire: Ferry Publications. ISBN 1871947405.
  • Harvey, W.J. (1989). Stena Gothenburg 1939-1989. Göteborg: Stena AB. ISBN 9185786411.
  • Harvey, W.J. (2006). Stena: a group fleet history. Windsor: World Ship Society. ISBN 0954331079.
  • Haws, Duncan (1993). Britain's Railway Steamers: Western & Southern Companies + French & Stena. Merchant Fleets series, no. 24. Hereford: TCL Publications. ISBN 0946378215.
  • Haws, Duncan (1993). Britain's Railway Steamers: Eastern & North Western Companies + Zeeland and Stena. Merchant Fleets series, no. 25. Hereford: TCL Publications. ISBN 0946378223.
  • Haws, Duncan (1994). Britain's Railway Steamers: Scottish & Irish Companies + Stena and Macbrayne. Merchant Fleets series, no. 26. Hereford: TCL Publications. ISBN 0946378231.
  • Hendy, John (1993). Ferries of Dover. Staplehurst, Kent: Ferry Publications. ISBN 0951350692.
  • Hendy, John (1997). Ferry Port Dover: the development of cross-channel vehicle ferries, their services and allied infrastructure. Staplehurst, Kent: Ferry Publications. ISBN 1871947472.
  • Merrigan, Justin P.; Collard, Ian H. (2010). Holyhead to Ireland: Stena and its Welsh heritage. Chalford, Gloucestershire: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781848689589.
  • Peter, Bruce (2012). Stena Line: Celebrating 50 years of service. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN 9781906608507.
  • Sahlsten, Rickard; Söderberg, Bertil; Bång, Krister. Stena Line's Ships 1962-1992. Göteborg: Stena Line. OCLC 476605445.
  • Widdows, Nick (2011). Stena Line: the fleet. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN 9781906608415.
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