Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Transport |
Founded | 1962 |
Founder | Sten A. Olsson |
Headquarters | Gothenburg, Sweden |
Key people | Niclas Martensson CEO) |
Services | |
Revenue | 5.0 billion SEK (2015) |
Number of employees | 5,000 (2015) |
Parent | Stena AB |
Website | www |
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. It is a sister company to one of the world's leading tanker company Stena Bulk.
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.
The first freight-focused route [1] started between Gothenburg, Sweden, and Kiel, Germany. The ship was the MS Stena Transporter.
During the 1980s, Stena acquired three other ferry companies.
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.[ citation needed ]
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 Gothenburg–Frederikshavn route. Due to the bankruptcy of the shipyard, only the first of these vessels was ever completed.
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% and 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.
In 2000, Stena Line purchased yet another Scandinavian ferry operator: Scandlines AB.[ citation needed ]
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]
Name | Built | Gross Tonnage | Passengers | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stena Adventurer | 2003 | 43,532 | 1,500 | ||
Stena Baltica (formerly Stena Mersey) | 2005 | 26,500 (as built) | 980 | Lengthened in 2020. | |
Stena Britannica | 2010 | 63,039 | 1,200 | ||
Stena Danica | 1983 | 15,899 | 2,300 | ||
Stena Ebba | 2022 | 45,000 | 1,200 | The Fifth E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line. | |
Stena Edda | 2019 | 41,671 | 927 | The second E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line. | |
Stena Embla | 2020 | 41,671 | 927 | The third E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line. | |
Stena Estelle | 2022 | 45,000 | 1,200 | The Fourth E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line. | |
Stena Estrid | 2019 | 40,500 | 927 | The first E-Flexer Class ship for Stena Line. | |
Stena Europe | 1981 | 24,828 | 1,400 | ||
Stena Flavia | 2008 | 26,904 | 830 | ||
Stena Forecaster | 2003 | 24,688 | 12 | ||
Stena Forerunner | 2003 | 24,688 | 12 | ||
Stena Foreteller | 2003 | 24,688 | 12 | ||
Stena Forwarder | 2016 | 21,966 | 12 | ||
Stena Germanica | 2001 | 51,837 [32] | 1,300 | ||
Stena Gothica | 1981 | 13,294 | 186 | Rebuilt 1991/1993/2001 | |
Stena Hibernia | 1996 | 13,017 | 12 | ||
Stena Hollandica | 2010 | 63,039 | 1,200 | ||
Stena Horizon | 2006 | 27,552 | 972 | ||
Stena Jutlandica | 1996 | 29,691 | 1,500 | ||
Stena Livia | 2008 | 26,904 | 880 | ||
Stena Nautica | 1986 | 11,763 | 663 | ||
Stena Nordica | 2000 | 24,206 | 405 | Rebuilt in 2023 | |
Stena Scandica (formerly Stena Lagan) | 2005 | 26,500 (as built) | 980 | Lengthened in 2021. | |
Stena Scandinavica | 2003 | 55,050 | 900 | ||
Stena Scotia | 1996 | 13,600 | 12 | ||
Stena Spirit | 1988 | 39,193 | 1,700 | ||
Stena Superfast VII | 2001 | 30,285 | 1,200 | Stena took ownership from Tallink in December 2017. | |
Stena Superfast VIII | 2001 | 30,285 | 1,200 | Stena took ownership from Tallink in December 2017. | |
Stena Transit | 2011 | 33,690 | 300 | ||
Stena Transporter | 2011 | 33,690 | 300 | ||
Stena Vision | 1981 | 39,178 | 1,700 | ||
Stena Vinga | 2005 | 14,551 | 400 | ||
Mecklenburg-Vorpommen | 1996 | 37,987 | 600 | ||
Skåne | 1998 | 28,960 | 600 | ||
Urd | 1981 | 11,030 | 186 | ||
Currently chartered vessels | |||||
Fionia Sea | 2009 | 25,609 | 12 | ||
Jutlandia Sea | 2010 | 25,609 | 12 | ||
Formerly chartered vessels | |||||
POL Maris | 2009 | 29,904 | 12 | ||
POL Stella (formerly Hatche) | 2009 | 29,004 | 12 | ||
Seatruck Panorama | 2009 | 14,759 | 12 | Chartered from Seatruck Ferries. | |
Somerset (formerly Spaarneborg) | 1999 | 21,005 | 12 |
On 10 May 2023, Stena has announced that they had ordered two NewMax freight hybrid freight vessels for the Belfast to Heysham route. They are due to begin service in Autumn 2025, giving a 80% boost in capacity to the current ships at 147 metres (482 ft) long with 2,800 lane meters. The NewMax vessels will be methanol powered and have built in electrification including for shore power and battery propulsion. [33]
P&O Ferries is a British shipping company that operates ferries from United Kingdom to Northern Ireland, and to Continental Europe. The company was created in 2002 through mergers and acquisitions within P&O. It has been owned by Dubai-based DP World since 2019.
Cotentin is a ROPAX ferry owned and operated by Brittany Ferries between Poole and Cherbourg from January until March 2021 and then Portsmouth and Le Havre from March 2021 until June 2021. She previously operated for Brittany Ferries between 2007 and 2013 between Poole–Cherbourg before being chartered to Stena Line as Stena Baltica serving the route between Gdynia and Karlskrona. The vessel was constructed by Aker Finnyards in Finland and delivered to Brittany Ferries on 9 November 2007. Cotentin sails under the French flag and is registered in Morlaix. The ship's gross tonnage is 22,308.
High-speed Sea Service or Stena HSS was a class of high-speed craft developed by and originally operated by Stena Line on European international ferry routes. The HSS 1500 had an in-service speed of 40 knots (75 km/h).
DFDS Seaways is a Danish shipping company that operates passenger and freight services across northern Europe. Following the acquisition of Norfolkline in 2010, DFDS restructured its other shipping divisions into the previously passenger-only operation of DFDS Seaways.
MSStena Scandica is a RoPax ferry, owned by Stena Line and it operates on the Baltic Sea between Nynäshamn, Sweden and Ventspils, Latvia.
MS James Joyce is a fast Ro-Pax ferry operated by Irish Ferries on the Dublin to Holyhead and Cherbourg routes on charter from Tallink. She was built as Star at Aker Finnyards Helsinki Shipyard, Finland for Tallink and entered service on their Helsinki – Tallinn service on 12 April 2007. After being chartered by Irish Ferries in 2023, the ship's name was changed to Oscar Wilde. In May 2024, Irish Ferries renamed the ferry James Joyce.
MS Stena Baltica is a RoPax ferry, owned by Stena Line and operates on the Baltic Sea between Nynäshamn, Sweden and Ventspils, Latvia. The ship previously operated on the Irish Sea, between Birkenhead and Belfast, as Stena Mersey.
The MS Normandy was a ferry, last owned by the Singapore-based oil service company Equinox Offshore Accommodation, under charter to the Morocco-based ferry operator Ferrimaroc. She was built in 1981 by Götaverken, Gothenburg, Sweden, and first entered service in 1982 as MS Prinsessan Birgitta for Stena Sessan Line. She also served under the names MS St Nicholas and MS Stena Normandy.
MS Stena Europe is a ferry owned by Stena Line which operates between Algeciras and Tanger Med; under charter to Africa Morocco Link.
HSC Elite Jet is a high-speed ferry operated by Seajets and operated on Stena Line's Holyhead - Dún Laoghaire route and seasonally on the Fishguard - Rosslare service. She was marketed by Stena Line as the Stena Express. In 2019 was sold by Seajets and underwent repairs at Salamis. The ship was set to be launched on the Santorini – Rethymno route in 2023.
MS Isle of Inishmore is a ro-ro ferry owned by Irish Ferries and operated on their Dover-Calais service. At the time of her introduction, she was the largest car ferry operating in Northern Europe. She is named after Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands. The name of the ferry is tautologous, since "Inishmore" derives from the Irish for "big island". Despite not being sister ships, the ship's design is copied from the Stena Line vessel Stena Jutlandica up until the superstructure.
Stena Nordica is a ro-pax ferry owned and operated by Stena Line.
Port Link is a ro-pax ferry that was formerly operated by Sealink and Stena Line between Holyhead and Dun Laoghaire and later Stranraer and Larne / Belfast. Now it is used by ASDP Indonesia Ferry for Merak to Bakauheni line.
Celtic Link Ferries was an Irish ferry company which used to operate a passenger and freight roll-on/roll-off service between Rosslare and Cherbourg. Celtic Link Ferries ceased operating in February 2014 with Stena Line taking over their route.
MS Norbay is a ro-pax vessel owned by the British ferry company P&O Ferries and currently chartered to Irish Ferries. She was built by Van Der Giessen-de Noord N.V., Netherlands in 1994.
Strait Feronia is a passenger, freight and vehicle or ROPAX ferry owned and operated by StraitNZ as part of its Bluebridge subsidiary. The ship is a twin of MS Liverpool Seaways. The vessel was initially named Mersey Viking and saw service in the Irish Sea, eventually being renamed Dublin Viking and then Dublin Seaways. The vessel was acquired by the Stena Line and renamed Stena Feronia and saw service between Tangier and Algericas and later between Kiel and Gothenburg.
Cambridge Ferry was a 3,294 GRT train ferry that was built in 1963 for the British Railways Board. She was sold to Malta in 1992 and renamed Ita Uno. She was renamed Sirio in 1993 and reflagged to Panama in 1998. The ship was scrapped in Turkey in 2003.
Stena Livia is a roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) ferry operated by Stena Line on their Travemünde–Liepāja service. It was built in 2008, and originally named Norman Voyager.
MSStena Edda is a passenger and vehicle RoPax ferry operated by Stena Line between Birkenhead and Belfast.
MS Stena Embla is a passenger and vehicle RoPax ferry operated by Stena Line between Birkenhead and Belfast.