Stena Line has celebrated the naming of the company’s newest freight ship, Stena Futura, with the first official ship christening in Belfast Harbour in 20 years. The ceremony also marked 30 years of collaboration between the company and the port.
Stena Futura is the first of two new “NewMax” ferries, specially built for the busy route between Belfast and Heysham. The ship is 147 meters long, methanol-prepared and equipped with hybrid propulsion, large battery packs, and the capability for shore power – technologies that will help Stena Line reduce CO₂ emissions by 30 percent by 2030.
According to Group CEO Niclas Mårtensson, the two NewMax ships represent an investment of over £100 million (745 million kr.) and a clear signal of the company’s long-term commitment to the Irish Sea.
Belfast Harbour already highlights increasing freight capacity on the route, and when the sister ship Stena Connecta enters service at the beginning of 2026, a total capacity increase of 40 percent is expected.
-emte
