China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai has started building a new LNG-powered ferry for Sweden’s Stena.
The Chinese yard said in a statement it held a steel-cutting ceremony for the hull number W0279 on May 16. Representatives from Stena and DNV attended the event as well.
This is the tenth E-Flexer class RoPax vessel China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai will build for Stena, it said.
In July last year, Stena RoRo signed a charter agreement for this LNG-powered ferry with Canada’s Marine Atlantic.
Following delivery in 2024, the LNG-powered ship will run in eastern Canada between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. It will feature dual-fuel engines and a battery-hybrid solution.
The roll-on/roll-off cargo and passenger ferry will have a length of 202.9 meters.
Besides this vessel, Stena has ordered four other LNG-powered E-Flexer ships at the Chinese yard as well. These vessels will all serve France’s Brittany Ferries.
Brittany Ferries is already using the first vessels in this batch, Salamanca, while it sister vessel Santona should join later this year. The last two ships are scheduled for delivery in 2024 and 2025.