Stena Line’s newest vessel, Stena Connecta, was officially named at the CMI Shipyard in Weihai, China on October 16 and will soon begin her maiden voyage to the Irish Sea, the company said in a statement.
The ship, built as part of the company’s expansion on the Belfast–Heysham route, will enter service in January 2026.
The ceremony was attended by Stena Line CEO Niclas Mårtensson, members of the company’s executive team, and Stena AB owner Dan Sten Olsson. “It is with great pride that we celebrate yet another milestone for our fleet and our company today. Stena Connecta and her sister vessel represent the very latest in maritime technology and will not only play a crucial role in maintaining essential transport links in Ireland and the UK but also make a significant contribution to our sustainability goals of reducing CO₂ emissions by 30 percent by 2030,” said Niclas Mårtensson.
Stena Connecta is a New Max RoRo vessel designed for maximum freight capacity, offering 2,848 lane metres across its 147-metre length. It features a multi-hybrid propulsion system using battery power, biofuel, and methanol, and is equipped with two 28×4 metre Norsepower Rotor Sails™ that can save up to 9% in fuel consumption on the Irish Sea route between Belfast and Heysham.
Her sister ship, Stena Futura, entered service in September and will also be fitted with rotor sails. Together, the two ferries will increase freight capacity on the Belfast–Heysham route by 40 percent.
Stena Line, the largest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, now has a fleet of 13 vessels and operates up to 238 weekly sailings. The company serves combined passenger and freight routes including Belfast–Cairnryan, Belfast–Liverpool, Dublin–Holyhead, and Rosslare–Fishguard, as well as dedicated freight routes such as Belfast–Heysham and Dublin.
“Our investment in Stena Connecta and Stena Futura demonstrates our strong confidence in the continued growth of the Irish Sea region and our commitment to strengthening trade and connectivity. These vessels were commissioned as a direct response to customer demand for increased freight capacity on our routes,” added Mårtensson.
Stena Line is a private Swedish ferry company and one of Europe’s largest operators in the sector. It was founded in 1962 and is part of the Stena AB Group. The company operates approximately 40 vessels and 20 routes across Northern Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. Its services combine passenger transport with freight logistics, integrating sea, road, and rail connections. Stena Line is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, employs about 6,200 people, and reports annual revenues of 19.5 billion SEK.
Stena AB is a privately held Swedish conglomerate headquartered in Gothenburg. It is active in shipping, property, and offshore drilling. The company owns Stena Line and several other subsidiaries in transportation, energy, and real estate.
Stena AB was founded by Sten Allan Olsson in 1939 and remains family-owned.
CMI Shipyard (China Merchants Industry) is part of China Merchants Group, a state-owned enterprise specializing in shipbuilding, offshore engineering, and marine equipment manufacturing. Its Weihai shipyard focuses on constructing RoPax and RoRo vessels for international clients.
Norsepower is a Finnish engineering company that designs and manufactures rotor sail systems based on the Flettner principle. Its technology aims to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport by using wind-assisted propulsion.
