A second new freight vessel for Stena Line, reached a further milestone in its NewMax fleet investment programme on the Irish Sea, with a ceremony to mark the launch of Stena Connecta in China.
Stena Connecta was launched into the water at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, Weihai, and is one of two new ships due to serve the Belfast – Heysham route, a key trade corridor across the northern Irish Sea.
Now that Stena Connecta has entered the water, the shipyard will continue with the installation of the interior. While its twin, Stena Futura, is being fitted out and is due to enter service in late August 2025, its route partner will follow in early 2026.
Once operational, according to Stena Line, freight capacity will be boosted by 40% on the Belfast-Heysham route in response to an increase in customer demand for services between Northern Ireland and Britain, using the English port located in Lancashire.
Both hybrid vessels are equipped to operate on methanol fuel and will play a key role in Stena Line’s sustainability journey. They will also be enhanced with built-in technologies that will be able to utilize both battery propulsion and shore power when available.
The company 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.
Uniquely, Stena Connecta will be fitted with rotor sails, which harness wind power to provide auxiliary propulsion to the vessel, therefore reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
Paul Grant, Trade Director, Stena Line, said, “The launch of Stena Connecta marks a pivotal moment for Stena Line as we continue to enhance our service offerings on the Belfast-Heysham route. With a 40% increase in freight capacity, these new hybrid vessels will significantly boost our ability to meet the growing demand for efficient and reliable transport between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
