Stena Ro-Pax builder goes bankrupt

The in-service date of Stena Line’s two new large Ro-Paxs for its Harwich (UK) - Hook of Holland (The Netherlands) service is in doubt following the entering into bankruptcy of German shipbuilder Waden Yards MTW GmbH.  

Both vessels were due for delivery in February and August 2010.  Sphere: Related Content

Stena Discovery arrives in Venezuela

Although Stena Line has still to confirm its sale, the Swedish ferry operators’ HSS 1500 design fast passenger/vehicle ferry Stena Discovery has arrived in Venezuela to start operations for her new owners, travel and tourism company Albamar. Sistership Stena Explorer is also expected to follow to South America later this year.

Albamar will use both HSS 1500s on a service linking the port of Caracas, La Guaira, with the port of El Guamache, on the holiday island of Margarita. The 1997-built Stena Discovery and her sister can carry 1,500 passengers and 375 cars at a service speed of 42 knots. The vessels had become uneconomic to operate of late due to the fact that they are powered by Kvaerner-GE gas turbines and have high fuel consumption. This is now a problem in Venezuela, which is one of the world’s largest oil producers and marine fuel locally is a lot cheaper than elsewhere in the world.

Stena Discovery had been laid-up in Belfast, Northern Ireland since being withdrawn from the Harwich (UK) – Hook of Holland (The Netherlands) service in early 2007. Stena Explorer is one of two HSS 1500s that operate on Stena’s Irish Sea services and is expected to arrive in South America in early September. That will leave only one of the revolutionary HSS 1500 design still in service in Europe, Stena Voyager on the Irish Sea.   Sphere: Related Content

Stena HSS in Irish Sea accident

Stena Line’s HSS fast ferry Stena Voyager was involved in a serious accident last week while on her regular run between the Scottish port of Stranraer and Belfast, Northern Ireland. A freight vehicle carrying chemical powder broke loose and smashed its way through the stern doors. The vessel returned to Stranraer immediately, with the lorry hanging half out of the vessel. A total of 189 passenger and crew were aboard the vessel at the time and were prevented from leaving the craft until the lorry had been safely recovered.

A 400 ton crane had to be brought in to recover the lorry, but due to very high winds some passengers had to stay onboard the ferry for two nights before they could be taken ashore. At one stage the rescue services were using a cherrypicker to take passengers ashore one-by-one, but this had to be stopped because of gale force winds. Sphere: Related Content