Stena Line ships due for refit in Belfast’s Harland & Wolff yard

STENA Line, which operates ferry services to France and Wales from Rosslare Europort, has confirmed that Harland & Wolff ’s Belfast shipyard will be carrying out the bulk of its Irish Sea annual ferry fleet refit and maintenance programme in a £7m (€7.76m) contract.

Each year Stena Line carries out a series of passenger facility upgrade works as well as a number of scheduled maintenance and engine works to ensure its fleet of 11 ferries on the Irish Sea are running to optimum efficiency.

The Harland & Wolff refit schedule for nine of the Irish Sea fleet will start at the end of December and will run through until early May 2017 to ensure that Stena Line’s sailing schedules are not unduly impacted.

Ian Davies, Stena Line’s Route Manager (Irish Sea South) said: ‘ The annual refit programme is a very important part of our ongoing ship operation and the significant investment we are making with Harland & Wolff will ensure that our Irish Sea fleet, which includes our Holyhead/Dublin, Fishguard/ Rosslare and Rosslare/Cherbourg vessels, continues to make a significant contribution to Stena Line’s market leading position on the Irish Sea.’

Stuart Wilson, General Manager of Harland & Wolff ’s Ship Repair Division said: “By docking their Irish Sea fleet with us on an annual basis, Stena Line’s business has become an integral part of our ship repair activities, providing valuable support not just to our company but also to the local supply chain, who provide specialist and ancillary services as part of the vessel dockings’.