E-Flexer-class ferry

Following about two years of design work, Stena ordered the first four vessels of the class from Chinese shipbuilder AVIC Weihai in April 2016, with options for four more ships.[1] Stena originally planned to utilize the four ferries on Irish Sea services out of Belfast, but later agreed to charter the third ship in the series to Brittany Ferries.[2] In February 2018, the keel was laid for the first ship, with her delivery scheduled for early 2020.[3][2] Stena RoRo ordered a fifth ship in April 2018, which will enter service with DFDS Seaways on a ten-year charter upon delivery.[4] The following month, Stena RoRo ordered a sixth ship, to be placed with Brittany Ferries on a ten-year charter beginning in late 2021.[5] Construction on the second ship in the class began in June 2018.[6] In July, Stena Line ordered two more ships, accounting for all the options in the original 2016 order, while Stena RoRo announced that it had agreed to take new options for four more vessels.[7]

Upon delivery in early 2020, the first ship will operate for Stena Line between Dublin, Ireland and Holyhead, Great Britain.[2] The second and fourth ships will operate for Stena between Belfast and Birkenhead, England.[2] Brittany Ferries will operate the third, sixth and ninth ships out of Portsmouth, England to Bilbao and Santander, Spain.[8][9]

The first ship in the class, named Stena Estrid, was launched in January 2019.[10] The second in the class will be named Stena Edda, the third will be named Galicia with the fourth ship in the class named Stena Embla.[11]. DFDS are to name their vessel Cote d' Opale[12] for service between Dover and Calais. This vessel will differ significantly from the other E-Flexer vessels as it will have additional public spaces in areas where passenger cabins are located on the Stena Line and Brittany Ferries units[13]. It will also have modified bow and stern loading arrangements and an additional bow thruster to aid turnarounds on the intensive Dover to Calais crossing[12][14].

E-Flexer-class ships were designed by Stena and Deltamarin[2], with the latter's hull form design chosen after a competition with another leading marine architect The first six ships of the type measure approximately 42,400 GT and are 214.5 metres (704 ft) in length, with a beam of 27.8 metres (91 ft) and a draft of 6.4 metres (21 ft).[2] Their freight deck has a capacity of 3,100 lane meters, with additional space for about 120 cars[2], apart from on the Brittany Ferries examples where additional passenger cabins are provided in the area occupied by the dedicated car deck on the other examples.[14][13] The seventh and eighth ships will be 240 metres (790 ft) long, with 3,600 lane meters of freight capacity.[7] Passenger capacity is about 1,000 people, though the interior layout is built to the requirements of the operator[2].

The first five ships to be built are each powered by two MaK M43C diesel engines, with a total power output of 25,200 kilowatts (33,800 hp), driving two propellers that give the ships a service speed of 22 knots (25 mph).[2] Those engines are designed to be compatible with liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel after modifications[2]. Brittany Ferries second (Galicia) and third (Santoña) examples will be able to run on LNG from delivery[15], though both will have reduced freight capacity as a result of the space occupied by their LNG tanks[14][13]. All of the E-Flexer vessels ordered to date will be ice-classed, either to 1A or 1C requirements[13].

The first Stena E-Flexer, Stena Estrid, completed sea-trials during October 2019 [16] and was delivered in China on November 15[17]. Following her voyage to the Irish Sea from China which took 4 weeks, the crew embarked during her last bunkering in Gibraltar to familiarize themselves with the vessel before berthing trials were performed. [16]. On arrival in Holyhead, faulty seals on over 20 windows were discovered. Repairs were carried out in Holyhead prior to her maiden voyage to Dublin, which took place on the 13th of January 2020.[18].

Stena Edda, the second E-flexer earmarked Stena Line´s fleet was delivered to Stena RoRo on the 15th of January 2020 [19]. Following bunkering in Singapore and Gibraltar, and an outside port limits call at Galle, the crew travelling from Weihai were also checked by local authorities for coronavirus with currently no evidence of the disease being present [20]. Between the 26th and 28th of February, berthing trials were performed in Belfast, Cairnryan, and Birkenhead. It is expected she will enter into service on the 9th of March, allowing her predecessor, Stena Lagan to be released for rebuilding in Turkey [21].

After 4 months in service, Stena Estrid left for Cairnryan on the 1st of May for engine repairs. During the refit that is expected to last up to 6 weeks, Stena Nordica is appointed as a relief vessel on the Dublin-Holyhead route.[22]