On Friday 28 June, the keel laying ceremony of the first of the two all-new NewMax hybrid vessels took place in China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in WeiHai, China. STENA FUTURA, the chosen name for this ship, is one of two NewMax hybrid vessels that will play a key role in Stena Line’s journey to sustainable fuel as they will both be able to operate on methanol fuel.   

These vessels will significantly enhance capacity on the Belfast-Heysham route on the Irish Sea. Besides being able to run on methanol, a priority during construction of the vessels will be to provide built-in technologies that can take advantage of both battery propulsion and shore power, where this is available.

“We are dedicated to taking responsibility and to be part of the solution to climate change. Investing in new ships, prepared to run on alternative fuels as well as electricity, is an important part of our strategy of moving towards new sustainable fuels and setting new industry standards,” says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO Stena Line.

Keel-laying is one of the milestones in the construction of a ship and the formal recognition of the start of a ship’s construction. The keel-laying of the second of the two NewMax vessels is planned for this fall and the name of that vessel is yet to be revealed. The NewMax hybrid vessels will be launched on the Irish Sea in 2025.

Each of the two new NAOS-designed 147-metre vessels features an efficient hull form to maximize freight volumes and will provide 2,800 lane meters of capacity, which is an 80% increase on current ship capacities. The new vessels will be equipped to carry 12 passengers and 26 crew.

Main particulars NewMax vessels:

Length: 147 metres
Beam: 26,3 metres
Draft: 5,2 metres
Lanemeters: 2,800
Propulsion: Dual fuel methanol hybrid with 9 MWh battery capacity
Delivery: June and November 2025

© Shippax

Stena NewMax. Illustration: Peter Mild