Sealink-Holyhead: Stena Line

Stena Europe

Stena Ships

Seen from the end of Holyhead's breakwater, the Stena Europe leaves for Dublin in June 2005. © John Lewis

The Stena Europe was built by Götaverken Arendal Rederi AB in 1981 as the Kronprinsessan Victoria for Sessan Linjen's Göteborg-Frederikshavn service. Shortly after making her debut Stena line acquired a majority interest in Sessan Linjen, and the ship was transferred to the Göteborg-Kiel route. In 1988 she was renamed Stena Saga and transferred to the Oslo-Frederikshavn and Oslo-Frederikshavn-Göteborg services. In 1994 she became the Stena Europe on the Harwich-Hook of Holland services but three years later was transferred to the Karlskrona-Gdynia route as Lion Europe, when replaced by HSS Stena Discovery. It was a short-lived renaming and in 1998 she became the Stena Europe once again when Stena dropped the Lion Ferry marketing name

After a £4.5mn major refit the Stena Europe entered Irish Sea service on the Fishguard - Rosslare crossing on 13 March 2002, replacing the Koningin Beatrix which then transferred to the Karlskrona – Gdynia service as Stena Baltica.

In January 2003 the “Europe” hit the news when she lost power near Tuskar Rock off the Irish coast. Five helicopters were scrambled to winch 155 passengers to safety, but the rescue was aborted as engineers brought the ship back under her own power. Since then the Stena Europe has settled down to become a very popular addition to the Irish Sea fleet.

On 1 June 2005 the Holyhead - Dublin service was placed in the hands of the Stena Europe while the Stena Adventurer spent 11 days in Birkenhead on annual overhaul.