Stena Transporter

 

The Stena Transporter alongside at Holyhead © John Lewis

The former P&O European Ferries and Townsend Thoresen vessel Stena Transporter was an unusual addition to the Holyhead fleet in April 2003 when she maintained the Dublin link pending delivery of the new Stena Adventurer. Coincidentally she was also built at the same South Korean yard as the new ship, being built for Stena's charter business by Hyundai as the Merzario Hispania in 1978.

Chartered to Townsend Thoresen in January 1980 for the Felixstowe-Europoort service, she was renamed Nordic Ferry and by the end of the year she was in the hands of Hapag Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven, being equipped with extra passenger and freight accommodation. Further alterations were made in 1986 when she was converted for full passenger service, accommodation blocks being added to the upper freight deck. Following the takeover of Townsend Thoresen in 1987 she was renamed Pride of Flanders in 1992 in line with the company's new naming policy. However, in 1995 the passenger operations on the Felixstowe-Zeebrugge ceased and so the Pride of Flanders had her accommodations blocks removed by Harland & Wolff at Belfast.  In July 2002 she was sold to Stena Line and renamed Stena Transporter for service between Harwich and Europoort

The Stena Transporter at sea, 4th October, 2007. © Mike Griffiths

The ship returned to Holyhead in September 2007, once again maintaining the Dublin service, on that occasion while the Stena Adventurer was in drydock. 


29th September, 2007 Holyhead arrival. © Capt Bill Moss
Berthing in the shadow of Irish Ferries' Ulysses. © Capt Bill Moss
Seen from the end of Holyhead breakwater. © Capt Bill Moss

In February 2009 Stena Line announced the withdrawal of the Stena Transporter from its Harwich services due in no small part to the economic climate and a massive fall in the number of freight units being distributed in 2008. Before sailing to Rotterdam pending disposal, the ship had a final Holyhead stint during the annual overhaul season, followed by an unexpected return to the Harwich - Rotterdam run between 27 - 30th March in place of the Stena Partner whilst engine repairs were made to that ship. The Stena Transporter then proceeded to lay up at Seabrex Europoort.

Arriving in Dublin on relief duties, 14th March 2009. © Gordon Hislip.