Stena Ro Ro, which developed the E-Flexer class ferries, has expanded its fleet with the purchase of the ro-ro freight vessel Giuseppe Lucchesi, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The company (a division of Stena A/B) since 1977 has provided custom-built vessels, ro-ro's and ropax's; in addition to leasing vessels to other Stena companies and other operators worldwide, has acquired its 16th vessel.
The 3,663 freight lane metre capacity (4 deck) ship was sold by Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione S.p.A (CIN) a company in the Moby Lines S.p.A group of companies.
Among the group, Moby Lines, whose Moby Zazà had previously served with C-Bed, a Dutch offshore accommodation company, and beforehand as Julia with the last Cork-Swansea operator, Fastnet Line, on the Celtic Sea connecting Ireland and Wales, which closed in 2011.
The Italian operator launched the Moby Zazà in 2016 on their new route from Nice, France to Bastia, Corsica; coincidentally, Afloat tracked yesterday the Giuseppe Lucchesi, off the Mediterranean island’s southeast coast. The ro-ro had departed Genoa bound for Rades, 9 km from Tunis, the capital of the North African nation of Tunisia.
It will be renamed the Stena Shipper and fly the flag of Denmark from where the vessel was built in 2012 at the Odense Yard (see unrelated story) on Funen. This is the third-largest island of the Nordic country.
In connection with the transaction, Stena RoRo is taking over a contract with Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation (COTUNAV) for service on the Marseille route, connecting again with Rades. Noting, as reported last year, Stena Line acquired a stake in a Strait of Gibraltar operator, Africa Morrocco Link (AML), and as Afloat speculated with the charter of Irish Sea stalwart, Stena Europe.
COTUNAV operates two ferry routes, from the southern French port to Tunis and Genoa to the capital. The terminal is located in the La Goulette part of the port.
Commenting on the acquisition, Per Westling, Managing Director, Stena RoRo. “This acquisition is part of our continuing expansion of our fleet, broadening our offering and strengthening our position in the market.”
He added, “The Stena Shipper is the last ship in a long series of sister ships built at the Danish Odense shipyard and has a large cargo capacity, which, combined with a low fuel consumption, provides good environmental characteristics.”
The basic dimensions of the Stena Shipper are length: 193 m, draught: 7 m, and beam: 26 m. Its speed is 21 knots.
In related news, Stena RoRo last month took delivery of the alluded E-Flexer class with the Guillaume de Normandie (see newbuild fleetmate). The 12th in the class, Stena Ro Ro has been long-term chartered to Brittany Ferries for the Portsmouth-Oustreham (Caen) route and is expected to enter on the English Channel service in April. It is to replace the Normandie, which made its Irish debut a year ago this month.
The new build was constructed at the Chinese shipyard of CMI Jinling, Weihai, with 15 in the class on order, which began with the E-Flexer lead ship, Stena Estrid, that made its Holyhead-Dublin maiden crossing in January 2020 and notably during Storm Brendan.
