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Stena Line

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Stena Line is one of the world's largest ferry operators, with ferry services around the UK and Scandinavia. 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.

Contents

History

Stena Line was founded by Sten Allan Olsson when he acquired Skagenlinjen between Sweden and Denmark in 1962.

In 1972, Stena Line introduced, as one of the very first ferry operators in Europe, a computer based reservation system for the travel business area. In 1978 also the freight business area started to operate a computer based reservation system.

The first freight-only route started between Gothenburg in Sweden and Kiel in Germany. The ship was M/S Stena Transporter.

In the 1980s Stena Line acquired two Scandinavian ferry operators and one Dutch operation.

Stena Line bought SMZ Crown Line Holland in 1989 and incorporates the Hoek van Holland - Harwich route as a Stena Line route for North Sea.

Stena Line doubled in size in 1990 with the acquisition of Sealink British Ferries, which was formerly known as Sealink until its purchase by Sea Containers Ltd in 1984. This became Sealink Stena Line, then Stena Sealink Line and finally Stena Line (UK), which operates all of Stena's ferry services between the UK and Northern Ireland.

In 1996 Stena Line introduced its 20,000 tonne HSS (High-speed Sea Service) vessels, which operate from Belfast-Stranraer, Holyhead-Dún Laoghaire and Hoek van Holland-Harwich. A smaller version of the HSS high speed craft operates between Gothenburg in Sweden and Frederikshaven in Denmark.

Stenna Explorer leaving Holyhead en route to Dún Laoghaire
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Stenna Explorer leaving Holyhead en route to Dún Laoghaire

In 2000 Stena Line purchased Scandlines AB, a Swedish ferry operator. In 2003 Stena Line announced a £70 million redevelopment of its Belfast and Scottish terminals.

Hoek van Holland - Harwich

Stena Line, in conjuction with 'one' Railway in the United Kingdom and Nederlandse Spoorwegen in the Netherlands, operates as of 1996 the integrated Dutchflyer service, a rail/sea link between London and Amsterdam.

In June 2006 Stena Line announced a 100 million euro investment in the Hoek van Holland - Harwich connection. This means the end of the high speed catamaran ferry "Stena Discovery". There will be a further 200 million investment in two new freight ferries for a service between Hoek van Holland and Killingholme.
These latter ones will temporarily take the place of the HSS vessel "Stena Discovery" starting the 8th of January 2007. This ferry has become too expensive in operation since it consumes 180,000 liters of high grade fuel for the four crossings it makes every day at a speed of 75 km per hour.
The vessels "Stena Hollandica" en "Stena Britannica", which at the moment in turn operate 7 hour crossings (June 2006), mainly for trucks and cars, between Hoek van Holland and Harwich are to be extended in order to create passenger capacity. The "Stena Hollandica" will be extended 52 meters to 240 meters, the "Stena Britannica" will be extended 28 meters, also to 240 meters. The refurbishments (for which in each case 40 days have been scheduled) will take place in early 2007 on the Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven. In April 2007 they will then permanently take the place of the "Stena Discovery".

Routes

Hoek van Holland, "Stena Discovery", ferry to Harwich
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Hoek van Holland, "Stena Discovery", ferry to Harwich

Stena Voyager showing her full power as she speeds up at the mouth of Loch Ryan
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Stena Voyager showing her full power as she speeds up at the mouth of Loch Ryan

External links

 

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