Sealink-Holyhead: Stena Nordica

The Stena Nordica

The Stena Nordica in Dublin, 10 January, 2008. © Gordon Hislip

Built for P&O's Irish Sea central corridor services to Dublin, the European Ambassador was the company's Irish Sea flagship when she entered service in January 2001.

Soon after her debut, the ship reopened direct Dublin - Cherbourg weekend sailings with a crossing time of 17 hours. This became a very popular option with both freight drivers and passengers, and was extended beyond its initial summer operation to include calls at Rosslare outbound in the winter time. The European Ambassador quickly showed her worth and popularity in no uncertain manner.

It therefore came as a surprise, and indeed a bitter disappointment to staff, when on 1 March 2004 it was announced that Stena Line would acquire P&O's Fleetwood-Larne route and its three ships, and the two P&O ferries then operating on the Mostyn-Dublin route, the European Envoy and of course the European Ambassador. The Mostyn link was terminated and the European Ambassador sailed for Scandinavia and a new career in Stena Line colours as the Stena Nordica.

The European Ambassador in Dublin, 2003. © Gary Davies / Maritime Photographic

The Stena Nordica replaced the Stena Traveller on the Karlskrona-Gdynia route where traffic had increased significantly. The former P&O ship increased passenger capacity by around 60 per cent and freight capacity by around 30 per cent. After a major refit including the fitting of new ramps to speed up loading and unloading, the ship entered service under the Swedish flag in May 2004.

Alongside at Dublin. © Gordon Hislip

In a relief role, the ship made her first return to Dublin in almost four years on 10 January, 2008, when she arrived from Fishguard and Rosslare, where she had conducted berthing trials. After trials in Dublin she then sailed to Holyhead to take up the roster covering the Stena Seatrader's refit.

On the 'Seatrader's' return, the Stena Nordica was scheduled to cover the Stena Europe’s two week refit, sailing between Fishguard and Rosslare from 28 January until 11 February, before returning to the Baltic.