Stena Line's new Stena Embla vessel has arrived in Belfast.
The Stena Emba's arrival in Belfast follows last month's news that the vessel will operate on Stena Line's Belfast to Liverpool (Birkenhead) route.
The vessel's arrival in Belfast also follows the recent launch of a new freight-only vessel named the Stena Foreteller on Stena Line's Rosslare to Cherbourg route.
The Stena Embla is the third E-Flexer ferry that has been commissioned for Stena Line's Irish Sea routes in the last 12 months. It will begin operating on the company's Belfast to Liverpool route later this month and will make one return trip per day on the route.
The Stena Embla can carry up to 1,000 passengers, 120 cars and 3,100 lane metres of freight, and will increase the Belfast to Liverpool route's freight capacity by 20%.
"Yet Another Important Milestone"
In a statement published on Stena Line's website, Stena Line Irish Sea trade director Paul Grant said, "The arrival in Belfast of our newly built Stena Embla is yet another important milestone in the ongoing enhancement programme of our Irish Sea services. We have now invested over £400 million in our ferries and port facilities on the Irish Sea in recent years. The Belfast-Liverpool route is one of the most popular Irish Sea crossings for both freight and leisure traffic, so having a second vessel of the calibre of Stena Embla, with a host of high-quality passenger facilities, will further increase its appeal and expand our capacity.
"In March 2020, we launched our new build Stena Edda onto the Belfast-Liverpool service and the feedback from our freight and leisure customers was extremely positive. Now we will have two ships offering identical services and facilities, which will help take our service levels on the route to new heights. We have real confidence in the future of our Belfast services and our Irish Sea routes in general, which is why this region has attracted three brand new ships in the last 12 months alone."
"Clearly 2020 has been a difficult year for our business, however, despite this, Stena Line has remained resolute in our ongoing commitment to driving our freight and travel business forward in the region."
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