KEEL LAYING FOR
HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY
At the end of October, it was time for a traditional keel laying ceremony at the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai). This time it was Stena RoRo's E-Flexer RoPax ship number ten.
The ship will operate on Marine Atlantic’s ferry route in eastern Canada between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. The order was placed in the summer of 2021 and delivery from the shipyard is expected during the first quarter of 2024.
Keel laying is the starting point for the construction phase, where the hull and other components are put in place. During the ceremony, with wishes for happiness and prosperity during upcoming voyages, a few coins were placed under the keel for good luck in keeping with a tradition dating back to the age of sail. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the shipyard, as well as from Marine Atlantic and Stena RoRo.
Bo Christensen, who was in China on behalf of Stena RoRos, had this to say; “Keel laying is always special as it marks the start of construction. Although we would have liked to have had our customers from Canada in attendance, they were able to participate via Teams, just as Stena RoRo in Gothenburg.”
A long-term charter agreement has been signed with Canadian state-owned Marine Atlantic and the vessel is being built for LNG operation and with installation of a substantial battery hybrid package.
