Chinese shipyard completes first Stena ro-ro jumboisation project
- Stena RoRo’s 3,000 lm Stena Foreteller has undergone jumboisation works in China to expand capacity by 30%
- The conversion project was completed in only two months by CMI Weihai with a sister vessel set to undergo the same surgery
In addition to its recent jumboisation project, Stena RoRo is set to retrofit two ro-paxes for methanol dual-fuel operations
CHINESE shipbuilder and shiprepairer CMI Weihai has completed the first of two conversion projects for Stena RoRo to increase vessel capacity and add shore power systems.
The upgrading project of the 2002-built Stena Foreteller (IMO: 9214666), which operates on Stena Line’s Immingham to Rotterdam freight service, was completed in only two months.
Conversion work comprised the addition of a fourth ro-ro cargo deck to boost the vessel’s lane metre capacity by 30% from 3,000 lm to 4,000 lm.
A cold ironing system has also been installed to permit shore power when in port, while the vessel’s bow thrusters have been upgraded to increase their power.
The same works will be undertaken on a sister vessel of Stena Foreteller, the 2003-built Stena Forerunner (IMO: 9227259), with the vessel due to sail to China on the return of Stena Foreteller to Europe during mid-July.
Both ships were built in China by Dalian Shipyard as part of Stena’s ‘4-Runner’ series of six ro-ro cargoships, which were constructed for the charter market in China and Italy between 1998 and 2003.
Both Stena Foreteller and Stena Forerunner are bareboat chartered to Stena Group ferry operating subsidiary Stena Line.
Stena RoRo is a regular client of the shipyard. In 2023 the Swedish shipowner signed a newbuilding contract with CMI Weihai for two 2,800 lm, methanol dual-fuel, ro-ro cargoships. They are set to enter service later this year between Belfast and Heysham for Stena Line.
The same shipbuilder also won orders for 15 “E-flexer” class passenger/ro-ro vessels from Stena RoRo between 2016 and 2024.
Another conversion project by Stena RoRo is being planned to convert two of its large ro-pax ferries from conventional fuel to methanol dual-fuel specification.
The project will involve the 1,920 lm sister vessels Stena Superfast VII (IMO: 9198941) and Stena Superfast VIII (IMO: 9198953) in a partnership with main engine designer Wärtsilä and Lloyd’s Register.
Stena Group was the first shipowner to undertake a methanol fuel conversion. The part-EU funded conversion of the ropax Stena Germanica (IMO: 9145176) was completed in Poland in 2015.
