Stena Line's newest hybrid Ro-Ro completes sea trials in China

China Merchants Jinling Shipyard Weihai has completed conducting sea trials of a new freight-only Ro-Ro vessel ordered by Swedish transport company Stena Line for operation between the UK cities of Belfast and Heysham via the Irish Sea.

Stena Futura is the first in a new series of two Ro-Ro vessels to be fitted with hybrid propulsion systems that will include multi-fuel engines that can operate on methanol and biofuel. The ships will also feature shore power charging connections.

The vessels will each have capacity for up to 2,800 lane metres of freight. An optimised hull form will meanwhile enable each ship to transport more freight per voyage compared to vessels of similar size.

Once operational, Stena Futura and sister ship Stena Connecta will enhance freight capacity by 40 per cent on the Belfast-Heysham route in response to an increase in customer demand for services between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Stena Line said Stena Futura is on schedule to enter service on the Belfast-Heysham route in the late summer of 2025.