The first of five new ferries from China, Stena has received and expects to have the vessel (see: following trials) operating on the key Dublin to Holyhead route by January.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, Stena Estrid will be formally handed over at the Weihai shipyard to begin its approximately 10,000-nautical mile journey to Dublin, which will take a month.

A sister ship is expected to join the ferry company's Belfast to Liverpool service with the Stena Edda by late 2020, while the Stena Embla will start carrying passengers in 2021.

"Today has been six years in the planning," said Stena technical operations director Bjarne Koitrand.

"We are delighted to finally take ownership of the first of our five new ships.

"With the new crew now in place, they can start the long journey to the Irish Sea."

To read more click here, about the introduction 42,400-tonne ship which can carry 1,000 passengers, 210 freight vehicles and 120 cars.