Stena Line

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For the village formerly called Ştena, see Jibert.
Stena Line
Type Private
Industry Transport
Founded 1962
Headquarters Gothenburg,  Sweden
Key people Gunnar Blomdahl (MD & COO)
Products Ferries, port services, passenger transportation, freight transportation, holidays, business travel
Revenue Green Arrow Up.svg 9,5 billion SEK (2006)
Employees 5,700 (2006)
Website www.stenaline.com
Stena Scandinavica in Kiel harbour

Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services serving Scotland, Sweden, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Norway, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands and Poland. Stena Line is a major unit of Stena AB, itself a part of the Stena Sphere, a grouping of Stena AB, Stena Metall AB and Stena Sessan AB. Stena Line also owns the Swedish vessels of the otherwise German and Danish-owned Scandlines.

Contents

[edit] History

Stena Line was founded in, and is still operated from, Gothenburg, Sweden by Sten A. Olsson when he acquired Skagenlinjen between Gothenburg, Sweden and Fredrikshavn, Denmark in 1962.

In 1972, Stena Line was one of the very 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-only route started between Gothenburg in Sweden and Kiel in Germany. The ship was the MS Stena Transporter.

During the 1980s, Stena acquired three other ferry companies. In 1981, Sessan Line, Stena's biggest competitor on Sweden–Denmark routes, was acquired and incorporated into Stena Line.[1] This included Sessan's two large newbuilds, MS Kronprinsessan Victoria and MS Prinsessan Birgitta, which became the largest ships operated by Stena by that date. In 1983, Stena acquired Varberg-Grenå Linjen, and two years later also the right to that company's former name, Lion Ferry. Lion Ferry continued as a separate marketing company until 1997, when it was incorporated into Stena Line.[2] In 1989, Stena acquired yet another ferry company, Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland (SMZ) (which at the time traded under the name Crown Line). SMZ's Hoek van Holland–Harwich route then became a part of Stena Line.[3]

Stena Line doubled in size in 1990 with the acquisition of Sealink British Ferries from Sea Containers Ltd. 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.

Stena Jutlandica in Gothenburg

In 1996, Stena Line introduced its 20,000 tonne HSS (High-speed Sea Service) vessels, which operated from Belfast to Stranraer, Holyhead to Dún Laoghaire and Hoek van Holland to Harwich. In addition to the three 1500-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 were merged with P&O European Ferries to form P&O Stena Line, 40% of which was owned by Stena and 60% by P&O. 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.

In November 2006, Stena ordered a pair of "super ferries" with a gross tonnage (GT) of 62,000 tons from Aker Yards Germany for delivery in 2010, with an option for two more ships of the same design.[4] The new ferries will be amongst the largest in the world,[5] and will be placed on Stena's North Sea route from Hoek van Holland to Harwich. The existing ships from the north sea will be moved to the Kiel - Gothenborg route whereas the ships from Kiel will move to the Gdynia to Karlskrona route. The new ferries are to be delivered in 2010, with the Stena Hollandica having entered service on May 16, 2010 and the Stena Britannica planned to enter service in the fall of 2010.[6] The company also moved its Belfast Terminal from Albert Quay to the new VT4 during May 2008. This has reduced the length of the crossing to Stranraer by 10 minutes.


In July 2009, Stena Line announced that it had repurchased its former ship, the Stena Parisien, from SeaFrance. The ship is now known as the Stena Navigator. It had a fully comprehensive refit. Following on from this, the ship was introduced on to the Stranraer to Belfast route alongside HSS Stena Voyager and Stena Caledonia.

Stena Line have moved the Stena Lynx III to make the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire route smoother. There are plans to move the Stena Carisma to the route and the Stena Explorer may move to the Stranraer to Belfast route, to replace sister ship HSS Stena Voyager or may be laid up for sale.

[edit] Routes

Stena Line's Scandinavian routes.

Stena Line's Irish Sea routes.

See also the routes and ships of Scandlines.

[edit] Great Britain - Ireland

[edit] Netherlands - Great Britain

MS Stena Germanica and MS Stena Danica in Port of Gothenburg

[edit] Sweden - Denmark

[edit] Sweden - Germany

[edit] Norway - Denmark

[edit] Sweden - Poland

[edit] Fleet

[edit] Current ships

Name Built Tonnage Passengers Notes
Stena Europe 1981 24,828 1,400
Stena Lynx III 1996 4,113 670
Stena Seafarer 1975 4,377 45
Stena Pioneer 1975 4,377 76
Stena Explorer 1996 19,638 1,500
Stena Adventurer 2003 43,532 1,500
Stena Leader 1975 10,987 80
Stena Voyager 1996 19,638 1,500
Stena Caledonia 1981 12,619 1,154
Stena Navigator 1984 15,093 1,800
Stena Trader 2006 26,002 300 to be chartered to Marine Atlantic
Stena Traveller 2007 25,900 300 to be chartered to Marine Atlantic
Stena Partner 1978 8,596 210
Stena Transfer 1977 8,596 144
Stena Jutlandica 1996 29,691 1,500
Stena Danica 1983 15,899 2,300
Stena Carisma 1997 8,631 900
Stena Scanrail 1973 7,504 12
Stena Saga 1981 25,905 2,000
Stena Carrier 1998 21,089 12
Stena Nautica 1986 11,763 663
Stena Germanica 1987 39,178 1,700 to be renamed Stena Vision in 2010
Stena Scandinavica 1987 39,178 1,700 to be renamed Stena Spirit in 2010
Stena Freighter 1998 21,004 12
Stena Baltica 1986 31,910 1,200
Finnarrow 1996 25,996 200 Chartered from Finnlines
Stena Germanica III 2001 44,237 900 to be renamed Stena Germanica in October 2010
Stena Britannica 2003 55,050 900 to be renamed Stena Scandinavica in October 2010
Stena Hollandica 2010 63,039 1,200
Stena Britannica 2010 63,039 1,200 due for delivery October 2010

[edit] Former ships

Further information: Stena Line's ship history

[edit] Gallery

Stena Traveller at Hoek van Holland

Stena Traveller at Hoek van Holland

[edit] References

  1. ^ (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: Sessan Linjen, retrieved 21. 9. 2007
  2. ^ (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: Lion Ferry, retrieved 21. 9. 2007
  3. ^ (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: Stoomvaart Maatschappij Zeeland, retrieved 21. 7. 2007
  4. ^ Aker Yards press release 9. 11. 2006, retrieved 21. 9. 2007
  5. ^ Stena Line press release: Stena Line announces major investment in innovative ferries, retrieved 21. 9. 2007
  6. ^ "'Superferry' in maiden Harwich crossing". BBC News Online. 16 May 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/8685207.stm. Retrieved 16 May 2010. 

[edit] External links

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