Stena RoRo Takes Delivery of E-Flexer RoPax Vessel Number Ten for Long Charter to Canadian Crown Corporation Marine Atlantic

February 13, 2024

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(Stena RoRo/PR Newswire) Today, number ten of the Stena RoRos E-Flexer series was delivered from the CMI Jinling, Weihai Shipyard. The vessel, named Ala'suinu, will be on a long charter agreement with the Canadian state-owned Marine Atlantic and operate a ferry line in eastern Canada between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

"We are very excited to welcome the Ala'suinu to our service," says Gary O'Brien, Chair, Board of Directors, Marine Atlantic. With a focus on reducing our environmental impact, the latest accessibility features, state-of-the-art technologies, and enhanced customer amenities, I am confident our customers will be impressed with the newest addition to our fleet. I would like to thank the Government of Canada for their investment making it possible to add the Ala'suinu to our fleet."

"I would like to thank our partner, Stena RoRo, for their dedication and commitment to ensuring the delivery of the Ala'suinu," says Murray Hupman, President and CEO, Marine Atlantic. "Our charter period has now begun, and we will have the option to purchase the vessel after the period. We are excited for the enhancements this vessel will offer our customers and I look forward to its arrival in April", says Murray Hupman, President and CEO, Marine Atlantic.

The E-Flexer series is based on a concept with larger vessels than today's standard RoPax ferries and is very flexible. Each ship is tailored to the customers' needs, both commercially and technically. Optimized design of the hull, propellers and rudders help to ensure that the E-Flexer vessels are at the forefront when it comes to sustainability, performance and cost.

The vessels' engines are of the multi-fuel type and can run on LNG, conventional marine fuel (MGO) or biodiesel. The vessels have been designed in line with future environmental requirements and, through their technical design, can meet both existing and future international requirements by a wide margin. The vessels will be designed with the classification society notation "Battery power" which means that in the future the vessels will also be able to utilize batteries as a means of propulsion.

"These vessels are a further development of our previous RoPax concepts, where the focus on sustainability and future-proofing has been a top priority," says Per Westling, Managing Director, Stena RoRo. "In this vessel, another dimension of sustainability has been added as the vessel has been designed to make a minimum of noise in the surrounding sea for the benefit of the sensitive underwater fauna of Canada's coasts. Multi-fuel engines and battery hybrid technology further contribute to minimizing Marine Atlantic's environmental impact."

Stena RoRo currently has 13 confirmed orders for E-Flexer vessels, as well as two so-called "New Max" RoRo vessels, at CMI Jinling, Weihai shipyard. A total of five vessels will now be under construction at the shipyard at the same time. With the latest delivery ten ships have now been delivered.

Specification of Stena E-Flexer orders:

Stena Line: Stena Line network in the Irish Sea; delivery 2019
Stena Line: Stena Line network in the Irish Sea; delivery 2020
Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network; delivery 2020
Long charter agreement
Stena Line: Stena Line network in the Irish Sea; delivery 2021
DFDS; DFDS network; delivery 2021
Long-term charter agreement
Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network; delivery 2021
Long-term charter agreement; LNG operation
Stena Line; Stena Line network, delivery May 2022 from the shipyard
Extended version
Stena Line; Stena Line network, delivery September 2022 from the shipyard
Extended version
Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network; delivery December 2022
Long-term charter agreement; LNG operation
Marine Atlantic; Marine Atlantic network, delivery February 2024
Long charter agreement; LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation
Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network, delivery 2024
Long charter agreement; LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation
Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network, delivery 2025
Long charter agreement; LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation
Corsica Linea, Corsica Linea network, delivery 2026
LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation

About E-flexer No. 10:

Length: 203 m
Draught: 6.5 m
Beam: 27.8 m
Capacity: 1000 passengers and 2500 cargo meters freight
Passenger cabins: 186
Speed: 23 knots

Since 1977, Stena RoRo has led development of new marine RoRo, cargo and passenger concepts. We provide custom-built vessels, as well as standardized RoRo and RoPax vessels. The company leases about fifteen vessels to operators worldwide, both other Stena companies and third parties. Stena RoRo specializes primarily in applying its technical expertise to the design and production of new vessels and the conversion of existing vessels for providing tailored transport solutions to its customers. We call this "Stenability". Since 2013, we have had responsibility for the design and completion of Mercy Ships' new hospital vessel the Global Mercy – the world's largest civilian hospital ship. The ship was delivered in 2021.
www.stenaroro.com

About Marine Atlantic
Marine Atlantic is a federal Crown corporation, and is committed to providing a safe, environmentally responsible ferry service between the Island of Newfoundland and the Province of Nova Scotia in a reliable, courteous, and cost-effective manner. Marine Atlantic serves two routes. The first is a year-round, 96 nautical mile daily ferry service between Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador and North Sydney, Nova Scotia. The second, offered from mid-June until late September, is a 280 nautical mile ferry service between Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador and North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
www.marineatlantic.ca READ MORE