Six weeks ahead of schedule, the Ro-Pax vessel Côte d’Opale — Stena’s fifth E-Flexer vessel ordered in China — has been delivered.
The delivery ceremony was held at the CMI Jinling (Weihai) shipyard on 17 May 2021.
The newbuild is now embarking on its maiden voyage to Europe where it will enter service during the summer.
Back in 2018, Swedish ferry company Stena RoRo signed a long-term charter agreement with Danish counterpart DFDS for the RoPax.
The ship, with its 214 meters, will become the longest ferry operating in the English Channel.
According to Per Westling , CEO of Stena RoRo, DFDS has been involved in the ship’s design throughout the entire project.
“In addition to far-reaching demands regarding the environmental aspects and technology, flexibility is one of the main characteristics of the E-Flexer class.”
To date, Stena RoRo has ordered nine large RoPax vessels of the E-Flexer type, five of which have now been delivered. The company has an option for additional vessels.
The Côte d’Opale will serve the Dover-Calais line as a day ferry. The bow and stern are specially designed to fit the quayside facilities in both ports, and in addition, it is equipped with a third bow thruster to facilitate the many daily maneuvers in port.
“With a capacity of 160 cars and space for 1000 passengers, the Côte d’Opale is a fine example of how we combine cargo and passenger traffic without compromising the onboard experience. We really appreciate Stena’s E-Flexer design, which has made it possible to adapt the ferry, in collaboration with Stena, to the wishes associated with the short crossings across the channel,” Torben Carlsen, CEO for the DFDS Group, said.