2024 was an intense year with a continued high level of activity. Stena RoRo took delivery of three vessels that were chartered out to customers. All deliveries involved E-Flexer vessels – a RoPax concept developed by Stena RoRo to meet high climate and flexibility requirements. The vessels’ capacity can be balanced between freight and passenger traffic, and can be equipped with future-proof technology, such as battery operation, or more environmentally friendly fuels, such as methanol or biogas.

The first vessel delivered during the year, the Ala’suinu, was the tenth vessel in the E-Flexer series. This vessel will be chartered for five years to Canadian state shipping company Marine Atlantic to operate a ferry route between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. It can be powered by conventional fuel, but also by liquefied natural gas (LNG) or biodiesel and is also prepared for battery operation. In addition to climate aspects, the vessel has been designed to minimise underwater noise that disturbs marine life.

Two additional E-Flexer vessels were delivered during the year from the CMI Jinling shipyard; the Saint Malo in October and the Guillaume de Normandie in December. Both have started their ten-year charters to French shipping company Brittany Ferries, which has a purchase option after around half the period has elapsed. The vessels will operate on the Portsmouth – Saint-Malo and Portsmouth – Caen routes, respectively, starting in 2025. They are equipped to run on different fuels and have 12 MWh battery packs installed. This allows them to enter and leave the port and even manoeuvre at the quayside under battery operation. If required in the future, the battery capacity can be expanded to enable completely fossil-free operation of the vessels. The Giuseppe Lucchesi was purchased in December and delivered in January 2025. The vessel has been integrated into Stena RoRo’s fleet and is now sailing as the Stena Shipper under the Danish flag. Stena RoRo took over an agreement with Tunisian shipping company, Cotunav, for traffic on the Rades-Marseille route in connection with this transaction.

In 2024, Stena RoRo placed orders for another two E-Flexer vessels for delivery in 2027 after signing a contract with Greek shipping company, Attica Group. Stena RoRo has now ordered 15 E-Flexer vessels in total, 12 of which have been delivered. At the end of 2024, Stena RoRo’s fleet consisted of 11 vessels, the majority of which are hired out on long-term charters, providing a predictable cash flow over time.

If they receive the proper maintenance, RoRo and RoPax vessels ordered today have an expected service life of between 40 and 50 years. Given such long time horizons, it is important that the vessel design takes account of this so the vessels can adapt and grow in line with new requirements. This applies not least in terms of climate and the environment, with the increasing demands for reduced emissions. Read more about the E-flexer concept here.

Environment

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