Stena RoRo takes delivery of multi-fuel E-Flexer for Marine Atlantic charter

Swedish shipping company Stena RoRo and Canadian federal Crown corporation Marine Atlantic have taken delivery of E-Flexer roll-on/roll-off passenger (RoPax) vessel from China’s CMI Jinling, Weihai Shipyard.

The 203-meter-long vessel, named Ala’suinu, will be on a long charter agreement with Marine Atlantic and operate a ferry line in eastern Canada between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The newbuild is planned to arrive at Marine Atlantic’s facilities in April.

“We are very excited to welcome the Ala’suinu to our service,” Gary O’Brien, Chair, Board of Directors, Marine Atlantic, commented.

“With a focus on reducing our environmental impact, the latest accessibility features, state-of-the-art technologies, and enhanced customer amenities, I am confident our customers will be impressed with the newest addition to our fleet. I would like to thank the Government of Canada for their investment making it possible to add the Ala’suinu to our fleet.”

“I would like to thank our partner, Stena RoRo, for their dedication and commitment to ensuring the delivery of the Ala’suinu,” Murray Hupman, President and CEO, Marine Atlantic, said.

“Our charter period has now begun, and we will have the option to purchase the vessel after the period. We are excited for the enhancements this vessel will offer our customers and I look forward to its arrival in April.”

Ordered back in 2021, Ala’suinu has a capacity for 1,000 passengers and 2,500 cargo meters freight.

The E-Flexer series is based on a concept with larger vessels than today’s standard RoPax ferries and has an optimized design of the hull, propellers and rudders.

The vessels’ engines are of the multi-fuel type and can run on LNG, conventional marine fuel (MGO) or biodiesel. The vessels have been designed in line with future environmental requirements and, through their technical design, can meet both existing and future international requirements by a wide margin.

What is more, the vessels will be designed with the classification society notation “Battery power” which means that in the future the vessels will also be able to utilize batteries as a means of propulsion.

“These vessels are a further development of our previous RoPax concepts, where the focus on sustainability and future-proofing has been a top priority,” Per Westling, Managing Director, Stena RoRo, explained.

“In this vessel, another dimension of sustainability has been added as the vessel has been designed to make a minimum of noise in the surrounding sea for the benefit of the sensitive underwater fauna of Canada’s coasts. Multi-fuel engines and battery hybrid technology further contribute to minimizing Marine Atlantic’s environmental impact.”

The vessel will primarily operate on the Argentia service this summer, connecting customers between Cape Breton and eastern Newfoundland, and operate between Port aux Basques and North Sydney during the fall, winter, and spring periods, according to Marine Atlantic.

Stena RoRo currently has 13 confirmed orders for E-Flexer vessels, as well as two so-called “New Max” RoRo vessels, at CMI Jinling, Weihai shipyard.

A total of five vessels will now be under construction at the shipyard at the same time. With the latest delivery, ten ships have now been delivered.