Ferry review: Stena Line's new ferries and other important events

The weekly ferry review on the PromySKAT portal presents the most important events of the past days. This week, one of the main topics is the order of Stena Line for new ferries that will soon be arriving in the Irish Sea.

Sena Line plans to introduce two new ferries into its fleet as early as 2025. These will be hybrid NewMax series units that will provide ecological connections on the Belfast-Heysham route. With these new shuttles, the available space for passengers and cargo will increase as much as 80 percent. Each of these 147-metre ro-ro ships will have a 2,800-metre cargo belt. Importantly, Sena Line still focuses on methanol as an organic fuel for its units. The new ferries will be powered by this kind of fuel. The NewMax construction was entrusted to Chinese plants in Weihai.

Another carrier, Isle of Man Steam Packet, also received a new ferry. It's a long-awaited unit named Manxman, built in South Korea, at the Hyundai Mipo shipyard. This ship is 133 metres long and is powered by the world's most efficient four-stroke engine, supplied by Wärtsilä.

On board the unit Manxman There will be room for 930 passengers (compared to the current ferry Ben-My-Chree, which can accommodate 630 passengers). Ferry Manxman will serve the Douglas-Heysham route daily, and will sometimes be seen on routes from Douglas to Belfast and Liverpool. Before reaching Europe, the ship must make about a 30-day trip from South Korea.

Balearia, a Spanish carrier, also welcomed in his fleet a new ferry. Cap De Barbaria, built by the Spanish shipyard Armon de Vigo, is 82 metres long and is powered by electricity. The ship has two large lithium batteries, but is also ready to install the hydrogen system. Two-way ferry can accommodate 390 passengers and 14 trucks. On board are two cafes, a relaxation area and a playground. Ferry Cap De Barbaria will run daily on the Ibiza-Formenter route.

Norwegian carrier Norled, who previously introduced an electric revolution into the ferry industry, does not slow down. The company has signed a contract to supply three new high-speed catamarans, which will be fully electric. These 45-foot units will be built in Brødrene shipyards. The shuttles will be equipped with Shiftr system, allowing for the rapid replacement of unloaded batteries for full charging in the port. The process of replacing two batteries will only take 3 minutes. New Norled Ferries will support Trondheim-Kristiansund and Trondheim-Brekstad routes.

Balearia also decided to strengthen her fleet. He joined the Spanish carrier ferry Visborg, known from the Baltic Sea. This ship, built in 2003 as Visby, was loaned from Destination Gotland. Upon reaching Spain, he began regular courses on the Almeria-Nador route. Balearia rented this ship with a view to the upcoming OPE 2023 labour fair held in Spain. During this period, more passengers are expected on Balearia ferry.

Source: PromySKAT