Stena Line lays the keel for Stena Futura – the first of its NewMax ships
Stena Line has reached an important milestone in its fleet investment programme with the keel laying of the first NewMax vessel to be deployed on the Belfast-Heysham route. At the same time, the ferry’s name was disclosed: Stena Futura.
On Friday 28 June, the keel laying ceremony of the first of the two all-new NewMax hybrid vessels took place in China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in WeiHai, China. Stena Futura, the chosen name for this ship, is one of two NewMax hybrid vessels that will play a key role in Stena Line’s journey to sustainable fuel as they will both be able to operate on methanol fuel.
These vessels will significantly enhance capacity on the Belfast-Heysham route on the Irish Sea. Besides being able to run on methanol, a priority during construction of the vessels will be to provide built-in technologies that can take advantage of both battery propulsion and shore power, where this is available.
“We are dedicated to taking responsibility and to be part of the solution to climate change. Investing in new ships, prepared to run on alternative fuels as well as electricity, is an important part of our strategy of moving towards new sustainable fuels and setting new industry standards,” says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO Stena Line.
Keel-laying is one of the milestones in the construction of a ship and the formal recognition of the start of a ship’s construction. The keel-laying of the second of the two NewMax vessels is planned for this fall and the name of that vessel is yet to be revealed. The NewMax hybrid vessels will be launched on the Irish Sea in 2025.
Further information
Stena Line Group Press office
+46 (0) 31 85 85 32, press@stenaline.com
Stena Line is one of Europe's leading ferry companies with approximately 40 vessels and 20 routes in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean operating 33,300 sailings each year. Stena Line is an important part of the European logistics network and develops new intermodal freight solutions by combining transport by rail, road, and sea. Stena Line also plays an important role in tourism in Europe with its extensive passenger operations. The company is family-owned, was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Gothenburg. Stena Line has 6,100 employees and an annual turnover of 19 billion SEK.
