The ship will be moored in the bay outside Manila where a new island for the new airport will be built by the Dutch company Royal Boskalis. The ship will be used for just over a year and about 1,000 people will be on aboard. In heavily populated Manila, living quarters and distances to the workplace are a problem and often entails long commutes. This makes an accommodation vessel moored at a nearby location a good solution. 

“This project has come about through a commercial partnership with the Canadian company Bridgemans Services, specialists in the field of marine mobile residences for large industrial projects,” says Per Westling, Managing Director, Stena RoRo. “The combination of our knowhow and Bridgeman’s specific market knowledge is quite viable and we see opportunities for collaborating on various projects in the future. This collaboration opens the way for new business opportunities.”

“One of Stena RoRo’s specialist skills is converting and adapting ships to chang-ing requirements and needs. With the conversion of the Saga, we have broken new ground. For us, this is a new kind of project,” says John Kollander, General Manager, Stena RoRo, based in Shanghai and responsible for the commercial aspects of contract execution.

Conversion Manager Johan Kippel has been the project manager and responsible for the conversion team’s work in Piraeus, Greece. He describes the Saga’s new configuration after conversion:

“The previous four-bed cabins have been converted into two-bed cabins. The construction workers will work in shifts, enabling the ship to be used around the clock. There will be just over 530 cabins as well as wardrobes for private use. In addition to cabins for housing the workforce, there will be 99 desks in an open-plan office area, the space that was previously used for tax free shopping. 

“The car deck has been converted into a logistics center. There is laundry and the ship will be self-sufficient with food and drinking water. In addition, there will be a restaurant and a bar. As a preventive measure, four cabins and a day room will be furnished to be able to serve as quarantine spaces if necessary.”

Mattias Kjellberg, Contract Manager, sees this as a pioneering contract and definitely a new business area for Stena RoRo. It also points to a promising future for some of Stena’s older night ferries, which might be phased out in the future. 

“We have developed new technical and operational solutions that will make it easier for the 1,000 people who will have the Saga as their home and workplace,” says Niklas Andersson, General Manager, Technical and Commercial Operations. “As an example, we have built a steel structure in the stern as a platform to facilitate boarding, as well as the loading and unloading of goods.”

Although Stena AB earnings show a small profit of MSEK 12 for the first three quarters, we forecast a year end loss for 2021 as the 4th quarter will be negative. Nevertheless we will make a significant improvement compared to the terrible covid-year of 2020.  On the other hand Stena Metall has prospered more or less since the start of the pandemic and shows a result of about MSEK 2,000 for 2020/2021.  

The pandemic has hit trade and industry in many different ways. When people are not welcome to gather and meet each other it is difficult, if not impossible to run restaurants, hotels and travel industries. The Stena Line passenger services have, not surprisingly, been hit very hard, whereas our transportation of goods on lorries and trailers keeps on developing positively. Our logistic companies Ntex and NMT develop fast and take market share. Stena Bulk and Stena Drilling are naturally suffering a lot from less consumption of oil as the pandemic has forced so many parts of the world economy to close down. As activities start up again it looks as if 2022 will fare better also thanks to the fact that so much tanker tonnage and drilling units have been withdrawn from the active market. Stena Renewable’ and our consistent savings of our own fossil energy consumption keep on reducing our CO2 mark every year. Nevertheless energy from fossil sources will continue for the next ten years giving us enough time to responsibly use our assets and depreciate our oil related assets down to closer to zero. New fuels might in the meantime create new alternatives for our ships both in form of cargoes as well as new forms of fuel for the ships’ engines.

The present pride of our group of companies is Stena Recycling. Our circular solutions contribute to that around 7,5 million tons of CO2 emissions is prevented from entering the atmosphere every year. Climate is very much talked about. Less known is the fact that thanks to the activities of Stena Recycling, each year about 6 million tons of waste is professionally handled and eliminated from destroying our nature and environment.

Much talked about in Sweden are aspects around integration of immigrants and children of immigrants. Stena Fastigheter (Stena Property) has received the acknowledgement of being the most reliable property company for tenants in Sweden in 2020. It has taken us more or less thirty years to reach the present standard. We are tremendously proud of our activities to care for our tenants, employees and all other persons coming into contact with us and our activities. Our care activities this summer created employment for more than five hundred young people. A first job experience is a great help to them on their way into the job market. And a good job experience also strengthens your self-esteem. Everyone also receives a certificate of appreciation from their period of employment. Our philosophy to care in everything we do generates reliability to our clients and helps us all in every business area in these precarious times. 

Contrary to wasting their time at home people have improved their homes. This has generated a lot of activities for our Kitchenmakers Ballingslöv, Kvik and our part owned bathroom utility maker Svedberg. 

The other companies in the Adactum Business Area are also improving their results substantially and Stena Adactum will make an overall record profit this year. 

Care for our customers and adding value is key. All our companies can now answer the question

– Who do you think will be really sorry, if we cease to operate?

If a company shall deserve to survive, it needs to have clients, who really feel they need you. We are proud to serve such clients.

The pandemic is not over yet. In effect I believe it will never fully go away. Hopefully over time, we shall be more immune to its potentially disastrous consequences. In total we are investing like never before with new recycling plants and new ferries for ourselves and clients to Stena RoRo. Our cash reserves are big and I have confidence we shall come stronger out of this period than at the time we entered it.

 Thank you for this year, which has been strenuous for most of us.

Wishing all of you
a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Dan Sten Olsson

Göteborg November 2021

I’d like to share one of my personal highlights with you, that I recently had the privilege of meeting 20 amazing people at the GROW Stena Leadership Program. We were very fortunate to able to conduct this program and I am extremely happy that we could do this after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic and limited travel opportunities. During the past year, we have worked on re-designing our fine leadership program with focus on the future instead of the present. How can Stena remain relevant with the rapid rate of change we’re seeing in the world? This program is intended to further develop the skills of Stena’s leaders and specialists. 

In Africa, we’re skipping the steps in technological development that we in the Western world have already gone through in recent decades and can moving straight into the new technology in the form of, among other things, mobile telephony and digital solutions. China and other Asian nations are about to take over as the new Europe and in these countries, the middle class is rapidly growing. The average age in China is 33 and in Europe it’s 44. However, although age is not a measurement of commitment and creativity, we do need to better reflect society through the diversity that exists in the form of age, gender, ethnic and cultural background, sexual orientation and disabilities.

So the question is, how can we remain relevant in a world that is spinning at an ever faster rate? Spend your Christmas holidays to spend time with your loved ones and think about how you can contribute to sustainable results, both for Stena and our planet.

“Kim Ullman is recognized in the market as a skilled and driven “shipping man” and as such has made important contributions for the Stena Sphere in a cyclical and sometimes very challenging market,” says Carl-Johan Hagman, chairman of the board for Concordia Maritime. “We will miss Kim’s drive, market insights and friendship.”

“The past few years have been extremely tough for the entire tanker industry, but we have now delivered the necessary new bank agreement so the company can move on,” says Kin Ullman. “I’m also still convinced that we will see a gradual improvement in the future. Such is the tanker market – volatile and challenging, but also very exciting and full of opportunities.”

Kim Ullman was involved in starting Stena’s operations in tanker shipping in the early 1980s, what is now Stena Bulk and Concordia Maritime. In addition to his position as the deputy CEO of Stena Bulk for many years, Kim Ullman has also served as the CEO for StenTex, manager for Stena Bulk’s office in Houston and then CEO for Stena LNG and Stena Weco. For the past eight years, he has been Concordia Maritime’s CEO.

BREATHING ROOM

After the first three profitable years 2014-2016, the company to stay afloat on its own through during the bad years 2017-2019 thanks to certain beneficial business arrange-ments. Then came the Corona pandemic, which has naturally entailed major challenges with global oil consumption over the past two years. Last month, an agreement was reached with lending banks entailing a financing solution for Concordia Maritime for just over three years. 

“Martin Nerfeldt, Sofia Hjälmdal and I have worked night and day throughout 2021 to get the new banking agreement in place,” says Kim Ullman. “The company can now enter the next phase, which was necessary. But it’s quite sad that I cannot leave when we’re at the top.”

Erik Lewenhaupt, who will take over from Kim Ullman on January 1, has most recently serviced as Sustainability Manager at Stena Line.

“To now be able to welcome Erik Lewenhaupt back to tanker shipping is great,” says Carl-Johan Hagman. “Erik has extensive experience in both tanker shipping and sustainability – two very essential areas as we look to the future. We wish him every success in navigating the cyclical and volatile tanker market from his new position.”

“I know that it’s impossible to replace Kim Ullman, but someone has to do it,” says Erik Lewenhaupt. “I’m very excited to be back in the tanker industry and although the market has been a challenge recently, I believe that Concordia, which supplies both today’s and tomorrow’s fuels, has an important role to play.”

The new facilities include a multilevel structure with various types of ladders, hatches and fall arrest systems, as well as a simulated area to escape from height and a structure to simulate the typical components found in a wind turbine, which will provide tight spaces for casualty rescue training.

Since its launch in 2016, CTS has become a large provider of marine, offshore and renewables safety training, with a deep-water pool, HUET (Helicopter Underwater Escape Training), fire training and helideck and Global Wind Organisation (GWO) basic safety already on offer to complement the new courses. 

The new training centre is located within close proximity to CTS’s marine and offshore training centre in Clydebank, Glasgow. 

Kris McDonald, General Manager, CTS said: “We know that thousands of positions in the renewables industry need to be filled, and regardless of whether it’s traditional or new energy companies that are involved in operations, people will need specific training and development. 

“That’s why this is not only an investment in the business, but an investment in the future of the energy industry in the UK and further afield. The energy transition is in full swing, and with this new facility we will be able to help companies along their journey. Not only will we now be able to offer GWO approved “Basic Safety and Advanced Rescue Training for new and existing companies, but we now have the platform from which to further improve our offering with even more courses.”

John Abate, Global Head of Training, Northern Marine Group, added: “Our courses are suitable for those just starting out in the industry, as well as those who have previously worked offshore and are looking to retrain. Many energy companies are going through a transitional phase as their focus turns to renewables, which means their people need retraining.

“With experienced instructors who have worked in the oil and gas, wind and renewables sectors, we are ideally placed in terms of capabilities and location to make sure those who undergo our training are more than just compliant with the standards expected of them in their industry. 

“We are proud to provide ‘competency beyond compliance’ through all our courses and look forward to helping organisations not only reduce their costs but improve the quality of the training their people receive. 

“This is an exciting time for CTS, and we look forward to growing our offering further with courses including GWO Enhanced First Aid, GWO Basic Technical Training and GWO Slinger Signaller coming soon.”

CTS utilised the services of sister company Tritec Marine to project manage, engineer and design both the climbing & abseiling tower and the Nacelle wind turbine training tower using state of the art 3D modelling systems. 

Tritec Marine have a range of Naval architects, marine engineers and CAD personnel who provide services, including 3D modelling and design, to the marine, offshore and renewables sectors. 

The opening of the new facility in Glasgow comes after Clyde Training Solutions was awarded a three-year contract to provide OPITO and GWO training to a new industry client.

During a large part of the 20th century, the clatter of sewing machines could be heard from the factory. Hundreds of women worked here sewing children’s clothes, underwear and swimsuits. In the 1980s, the business was shut down, and during the 2000s, several creative entrepreneurs – ranging from consulting firms to filmmakers – worked side by side in the building. 

SUSTAINABILITY IN FOCUS DURING RENOVATION

In 2021, the more than 100-year-old building is now undergoing a carefully considered renovation, to create the sustainable offices of the future.

“The tricot factory project is unique in so many ways,” says Unni Sollbe, Managing Director, Stena Property Malmö. “On one hand, we’re letting the history of the property play the most influential role in the design of the new, and on the other hand, we’re letting sustainability permeate all processes in the renovation. We are a long-term property owner, and what could be more long-term and sustainable than reusing old industrial buildings and creating offices and meeting places for future ventures?”

HOW DO WE NOTICE THAT SUSTAINABILITY IS CHARACTERIZING THE RENOVATION? 

Sofia Lagerblad is Business Developer at Stena Property and says that the company is committed to social, economic and environmental sustainability in its planning.

“Inside, we’ve worked to preserve and restore the building’s unique industrial character. But with the outdoor environment, we’ve chosen to complement the building with rooftop terraces, greenery, lighting, seating and even ping pong tables to attract spontaneous meetings. During the course of the project, we’ve established a number of valuable collaborative projects, including with the E.ON electric utility. This has resulted in a climate-positive energy solution that also contributes to reducing the city’s power peaks. Collaboration with local contractors has enabled us to refurbish existing materials and components instead of buying new ones. Looking to the future, we’re working together with the city of Malmö to launch a number of activities in the nearby area to create a sense of security.”

In working with the old tricot factory, Stena Property is also challenging traditional office design. 

“We’re doing this, in among other ways, by offering a variety of room sizes and giving our tenants the opportunity to sublet space. With digital aids, we want to stimulate even more exchanges of services and functions among our tenants,” Sofia says.

The renovation of the factory is included in a research project, which entails that it will be one of Sweden’s first climate-engineered renovation projects. In this way, the project is also contributing to the industry’s knowledge in sustainable renovation.

A PLACE FOR CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS

The tricot factory is a part of Malmö’s and Sweden’s history. A history that Stena Property wants to preserve – at the same time it wants to prepare the property for the future. Together with other companies and city government, Stena Property is strengthening the neighborhood around Möllevångstorget – as a place for creative companies.

“We’re happy that Anagram, the production company behind several well-known Swedish TV series, has chosen to move into the old factory,” says Unni Sollbe, Managing Director, Stena Property Malmö. “One of their office neighbors will be FOJAB Arkitekter, which has been responsible for all aspects of the renovation design.”

Stena Property has been the main partner in Samhällsmatchen since 2019. During this time, collaboration has led to:

• 3 summer job fairs
• 3 football matches. An activity for building bridges and relationships between young people and the personnel from emergency and rescue services
• A digital math book for 4th grade students 
• 3 day camps 

As well as several career days and plenty of hours of spontaneous football, football play activities, school visits and meetings with young people in the neighborhood, all to increase young peoples’ sense of security and faith in the future.

Samhällsmatchen (Community Match) is the collective name for Hammarby Fotboll’s initiatives in the community. Samhällsmatchen is about the match outside the chalked lines and what Hammarby Fotboll can do as a sports club, in concrete terms, to contribute to building a better society. The initiative is based on three of the UN’s 17 global sustainability goals: Good health and well-being, decent work and economic growth, and reduced inequalities.

“It was a tough start due to the pandemic, but now I’ve gotten to know the staff, customers and the market better and can thus focus on developing operations,” says Ida. “I appreciate my multicultural team, the many international contacts and the exciting business climate. In addition, the whole family really enjoys life here in Dubai.”

Ida has the sea and shipping in her blood. Her dad was a captain and an uncle a pilot. But first came a degree in psychology and a few years with events in London. Ida gradually realized that it was shipping that she really wanted to work with, so she enrolled in the maritime program at the Chalmers Institute of Technology. After a trainee year at the Maersk Broker Agency, she was hired in 2012 by Stena Bulk’s new bunker department in Gothenburg. 

“When the question came up about working abroad, the answer was yes, with no reservations. I could imagine moving anywhere where Stena Bulk had an office.”

That attitude led her to working with chartering at Stena Bulk’s office in Singapore in the autumn of 2014.

“It was both challenging and exciting. A completely new role in a new city and in a new market.”

INTERNATIONELL INDUSTRY

She spent five years in Singapore. Intense and educational years during which her family’s two children were born, who are now four and two years old. The move to Dubai came in November 2019 when Ida was still on parental leave, and in January 2020 she began her new duties. What’s it like working in Dubai? 

“I’ve naturally had to familiarize myself with the local business culture, but since the industry itself is so international, I feel that the difference between working in Singapore and here is not that great. More negotiation skills are required here. The customers are mainly men, but it is not a disadvantage to be a woman in my role.”

Her start was hampered by the pandemic. During March, April and May of 2020, there was a total home quarantine and this naturally more difficult to find her way in a new job in a new market. Since June of last year, all seven employees have been back in the office, but the pandemic is still affecting their daily work.

“Travel restrictions still apply that prevent us from meeting our customers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and India,” says Ida, who does not think it is a major problem. After getting to know her new market, she is now working to develop both the operations in the office, which has only existed for five years, and the business.

“My predecessor who started the office here in Dubai did a great job that I can build further on. Chemicals are a relatively new segment for us here, so we are still working on establishing the market,” she says. 

PROUD OF STENA BULK’S SUSTAINABILITY WORK

As a leader, Ida strives to be a good listener and easy to talk to. She is inspired by the international climate, appreciates having employees from different cultures as well as the cohesion and the positive atmosphere in the office.“We are a multifaceted team and our attitude is excellent.” 

Ida is very proud of Stena Bulk’s advanced position when it comes to sustainability. 

“We operate in a key branch and it feels good to have an owner who clearly strives to make our work as sustainable as possible. Here in Dubai, there is also a lot of focus on sustainability. There are investments in solar energy and recycling. But at the same time, they continue to produce fossil fuels in the region, so in that respect, there’s a bit of a conflict.”

LIFE IN DUBAI

Sunshine and hot weather are plentiful in Dubai. During the summer, temperatures rise to 45-50 degrees.

“During the hot months, we have to protect our garden and plants from the heat in various ways and take in the outdoor furniture. Ourselves, we stay indoors or in the pool, and there are plenty of indoor activities,” says Ida, who thinks that family life in Dubai works smoothly. She lives with her children and her British husband in a townhouse just a five-minute drive from the office and thus avoids spending time commuting. 

In addition, Ida is usually able to limit working hours to relatively normal office hours, even though the job is challenging. 

“Due to the geographical location, there was a lot of evening work in Singapore. This isn’t needed as often here, although we’re naturally available for our customers and ships around the clock.” 

TELL US ABOUT GOLF IN SCOTLAND

It is the home of golf and we are spoiled with the quality of golf courses available to us here. I am lucky enough to have played some of the top courses in the country.

The sport is popular here and has become even more popular since the start of the pandemic, as we were able to play golf from May 2020 when other sports and activities were still shut down because of national lockdowns.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE SPORT?

I started playing golf when I was 10 years old and began to take it more seriously as a teenager. Originally, I found an old set of clubs in the shed and I just started swinging in the back garden. I had a friend across the street who started playing at the same time. His dad played and would take us to the practice range and then we progressed onto the course from there. 

I have always played with a group of friends and over time that group has grown as we have gotten older, especially as people get older and have stopped playing football and other sports so have turned to golf as an alternative. We are all quite competitive. 

WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?

I ask myself this a lot as it can also be frustrating! I like that you are constantly challenging yourself; it doesn’t matter what anyone else does, it is what you do an any given day. You are not reliant on anyone else and there is nowhere to hide. You are fully accountable, and you get out of it what you put into it. I like that aspect; it drives me on to try and better my previous performances or achievements. 

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS?

I have won three club championships, one regional open competition and competed in Scotland’s national amateur championship. I also represent my club in their team league and in 2018 we won the regional league we compete in for the first time in 40 years, which was a great achievement for all involved. There are 400 members at my club, so to make the team of 8 best golfers takes a lot of practice. 

My biggest achievement is reaching a handicap of +1 which is reasonably uncommon. A handicap is the metric by which you rate the quality of a golfer. It took me 25 years of playing to reach my lifetime goal of scratch (zero) handicap, and I have since progressed further meaning that every time I play, I must add a stroke to my score. Most golfers benefit from their handicap as they can reduce their final scores by subtracting their handicap, rather than having to add shots on which I now have to do. That is one of the great things about the game though, the handicap system allows people of varying abilities to compete fairly against each other, I can’t think of any other sports where that is the case. 

For most golfers, there will always be a goal and it’s related to their handicap, regardless of the level they are at. It is about the next significant step, be it to go from 36 to 18, or 17 to a single figure handicap. 

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE EVENT?

Playing the Scottish Amateur Championship in 2018 when I competed against the best amateur players in the country. It was a week-long event open to amateur golfers from all over the world. It was a great experience and eye opening to compete with the top amateurs in the country. 

Northern Marine have always hosted Company golf events for their employees, and I was fortunate enough to have won one of those. These have been excellent for socialising with colleagues outside of the workplace. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS ON YOUR WELLNESS? (PHYSICAL AND MENTAL)

The benefits from playing golf are multi-faceted. There is the exercise aspect, but it also has different benefits to your mental health. The golf club I am a member of is only a 15-minute drive from the NMG office so playing a few holes in the evening is a good way to unwind after a day at the office, or you can get fulfilment and achievement from playing well in an important competition. When we play as a team there is camaraderie and great social benefits. If you play badly there are of course great frustrations, but the lure is that anyone can play a good shot at any time. That is what brings us all back to play again. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT NORTHERN MARINE

I am responsible for overseeing any agreements that Northern Marine Group of companies enter into, and ensuring that appropriate insurance cover is in place for any activities we have involvement in. I also manage the corporate risk profile of the Group. I enjoy that I have insight into the range of activities and ventures that the Group is involved in. 

After decades of high activity in the North Sea many wells have stopped producing or are in the process of being shut down so P&A work is forecast to contribute an increasing number of rig requirements to the UK semi-submersible fleet in the near future. The downturn in 2014–16 saw a number of operators step up their P&A campaigns as reduced costs provided a financial incentive to complete work that is known and provides no financial upside. This has been evident with an increased number of P&A campaigns being performed during this period when compared to previous years and evidence of increased investment in decommissioning-focussed enterprises in the north east of Scotland. Additional driving forces behind the increase in P&A activity also include the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) being tougher on operators with regard to their decommissioning obligations and the fact that more fields in the UKCS are nearing their Cessation of Production dates following impressive production histories. 

The table to the right shows the requirements for semi-submersibles to undertake P&A work in the UK measured in days, according to IHS Markit. Whilst not an exhaustive list of all potential P&A programmes, the chart clearly shows that there is a huge requirement for rig days to complete the P&A campaigns currently planned. This amounts to over 5,700 days of rig time, or 15.5 rig-years of work over a 5-year period. 

Despite this large backlog of future P&A requirements a lack of recent activity in the UKCS has resulted in the active rig fleet shrinking year-on-year as rig contractors cold stack rigs, that were once icons of North Sea, in various ports along the east coast of Scotland. Given the high costs associated with reactivation it is unlikely that any of these units will return to the active fleet in the near term leaving a potential undersupply of P&A-suitable units to perform this huge scope of work. 

In recent years, one ‘grand old lady’ of the North Sea has countered this trend. The Stena Spey has been operational in the North Sea for almost 40 years and has developed a reputation for operational excellence with an experienced rig crew that is focussed on completing any task set out before them safely and efficiently. The vessel is well suited to perform P&A activities and has recently been contracted for a 10-well campaign offshore Ireland.

The rig features certain technical capabilities which are beneficial for P&A activities, the foremost of those being an 80Mt crane installed on the aft of the rig. The installation of this crane in 2013 has been critical to the vessel continuing to secure work in recent years as opportunities in the UKCS market started to decline.. The additional capacity of the aft crane ensures that handling and off-loading of the Client’s key production equipment (mainly the so-called Christmas- or ‘Xmas’ Trees – short XT’s) can be done with relative ease. With a large crane capacity there is no longer a need to break down XTs in parts on the deck once recovered to the surface. Supply vessels are also able to operate further from the aft end of the rig when XTs are being unloaded which provides greater flexibility and increased safety when offloading equipment to send to shore. In addition, structural strengthening of the aft deck has given the rig the capability to comfortably handle multiple XTs which further minimises the impact of weather delays associated with getting this heavy equipment off the rig.

The Stena Spey has another unique advantage over many of its peers with regards to subsea P&A. Wellhead fatigue is a critical factor in the planning of most P&A well activities, and increases in Blow Out Preventer (BOP) weights over recent years mean that the BOP on many rigs today simply are too heavy to land on the wellhead given the anticipated fatigue life remaining. One solution for this is BOP tethering, however this adds increased cost and online installation time to the operation, all of which are disadvantageous when trying to achieve a cost-efficient abandonment of wells. Following retirements of other more mature units, the Stena Spey is understood to now have the ‘lightest BOP’ in the North Sea which is a significant benefit for operators when planning their P&A activities.

Over the years the rig has installed many of the equipment spreads required for P&A activities, taking and applying lessons learned from previous operations to the benefit of current clients and their 3rd Party contractors. This continual sharing of lessons with the wider community all results in a safer offshore environment across industry to complete these outstanding P&A campaigns.

One of the biggest challenges associated with P&A operations is re-entering wells that are 20-30 years old. By conquering these challenges one well at a time we continue to develop our knowledge as an industry as we establish safer and more efficient methods of completing these abandonment activities. Given the challenges ahead continued co-operation between all stakeholders is vital to ensure that we have the required technology, personnel and rig availability in the UKCS basin to safely complete the planned decommissioning activities.

“It’s exactly what we expected from Stena, having worked with them before we knew they were a very professional outfit.”

Laurie Phillips, AGR, Well team Leader

“The Stena Spey has exceeded my expectations during the Kinsale decommissioning program. Plug and Abandonment operations are normally fraught with a high degree of uncertainty.  In the case of the Spey’s campaign in Ireland the wells had been drilled over 20 years previously.  The team of the Stena Spey and AGR cooperated to solve a variety of downhole challenges in a professional manner, whilst maintaining an excellent safety record.”

Chris Carbaugh, Stena Drilling, Chief Operations Officer

Since the start, when Stena Recycling Poland was a collector and processor of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, the company has grown rapidly, partly through acquisitions. It has expanded into new business areas such as processing of recovered paper, hazardous waste, and other production waste. 

“Both our volumes and number of customers are growing year by year which has a very positive impact on our financial results. After delivering red figures for many years, we’re pleased that during last three years we’ve delivered increasing profits, which is a positive development we intend to continue,” says Lars Ibsen, MD of Stena Recycling Poland for the past six years.

The processing and recovery of valuable materials from electrical and electronic equipment is an area that has been built from scratch in Poland. An electronics recycling and processing center has been established at the plant in Wschowa in the Lubuskie region. After Halmstad in Sweden, this flagship center, in which over 50 million PLN have been invested, is the second largest Stena Recycling branch of this type in Europe. At this state-of-the-art facility valuable metals are recovered. In addition, the processing of LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene Thermoplastic) packaging film, from which a finished raw material in the form of LDPE granules is produced, will soon start. A new battery center is also under implementation.

Stena Recycling has branches located in the vicinity of most large cities in Poland, employs over 500 people, processes approximately 800 thousand tons of waste per year, and serves over 2,000 customers. During the last years the number of A-clients has increased by 15% per year.

“I believe that our high competence and service levels are the main drivers for this growth. We’re servicing many large international brands and our clients really value our support and proactive engagement in improving their waste management and environmental footprint. Thanks to our new LDPE granulation line we have very interesting ongoing projects with some of our large strategic clients,” says Lars Ibsen.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY – THE MOST IMPORTANT TREND RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN THE COMING YEARS

For the next few years, one of the most important trends related to environmental protection will be the circular economy, in which effective and responsible waste management is key. In response to this, Stena Recycling Poland has for many years been active in education and promotion of appropriate behaviors, as well as promoting the development of economic models in line with the idea of a circular economy through various competitions. 

“We’re already observing the great importance of circular economy. Regulations introduced in EU countries, such as the Ecodesign Directive or the Green Deal, point in the direction of change and many large corporations declare their environmental goals. We stand by our customers in this change, supporting them and providing new solutions that help them reach their environ-mental goals and fulfill their stakeholders’ expectations,” says Lars Ibsen.

The Polish market for waste management is very fragmented without dominating players. Stena Recycling Poland only has 4% market share, which gives opportunities for growth by taking market shares from competitors. Stena Recycling is also able to grow both by revenues and earnings thanks to additional services offered to customers, and the general Polish growth which is above the EU average.

“The outlook is very positive for our industry as the awareness of and attention to sustainability and circular economy for our Polish clients is increasing, which is driving further growth for us,” Lars Ibsen ends.

As the leading recycling company in Northern Europe, Stena Recycling has long and extensive experience in virtually all types of waste. The company has a network of 90 facilities across Sweden and its own production units for metals, paper, plastics, and hazardous waste, among others. Stena Recycling puts a lot of effort into continuous improvement of its customers’ waste, with the aim of constantly minimizing waste, increasing recycling rates, and circulating as many resources as possible back into Swedish and international production. 

Stena Recycling is already present in Skellefteå and strengthened its capacity last winter through the acquisition of the company Allmiljö, which is an important player in the region. During spring, Stena Recycling also agreed to purchase an additional plot of land near Northvolt’s plant in preparation for further development of the business in connection with Northvolt.  

”We are very pleased and proud of the assignment. Stena Recycling will have an important task where our extensive knowledge of the handling and processing of waste resources will be of great benefit. Northvolt is one of the biggest things that has happened in Swedish industry in modern times, and we look forward to making our contribution to making this venture sustainable and resource-efficient,” says Fredrik Pettersson, MD of Stena Recycling Sweden.

Stena Recycling is already responsible for the management and recycling of waste from ongoing construction work at Northvolt in Skellefteå as well as recycling at the Northvolt Labs development facility in Västerås, Sweden.

On February 1, 2022, the link between Hanko in Finland and Swedish Nynäshamn will be inaugurated. The ferry Urd will be the vessel to first connect mainland Finland for Stena Line, serving each port every second day. In May, Urd’s sister vessel Stena Gothica will be added to the route for daily departures from both Hanko and Nynäshman.

BEST LOCATION FOR SMOOTH CONNECTIONS

“Our newest route caters our customers’ demand in many ways. Hanko is a key hub for trade and industrial products, the automotive industry and export of forest industry products in Finland, to which we can now offer direct access. By using Nynäshamn’s Port of Norvik, we will have the best location for smooth connections to our Southern Baltic routes and the Central European markets, thus creating seamless transport chains across the continent”, says Johan Edelman, Trade Director Baltic Sea North at Stena Line, and continues:

“The initial schedule is designed to cater the peak days for cargo flows to and from Sweden, so we will meet an existing demand. When turning to a daily schedule in May, the overnight departures allow for efficient loading and unloading times when staying in Nynäshamn and Hanko during the days.”

PART OF BALTIC SEA EXPANSION

The vessels deployed are reliable workhorses providing ample space and stability for the further development of the route. Dedicated freight RoPax ferries, Urd and Stena Gothica have a capacity of 1,600 lane meters and 186 passengers each. They add up to Stena Line’s latest investments in the expansive Eastern Baltic Sea area, including the deployment of two long newly built E-Flexers on the route Nynäshamn-Ventspils and the large capacity improvement on Karlskrona-Gdynia with the recently lengthened Stena Scandica and Stena Baltica during 2022. 

“The whole setup of the new Finland route – schedules, vessels, ports – is well thought trough to combine customer expectation with a reliable service. We will combine the leading port for efficient transport routes at central location in southern Finland and invest in a long-term settlement in the Stockholm areas’ new Port of Norvik in Nynäshamn. There is a lot to like about this service already now, and we are very much looking forward to get going”, Johan Edelman adds, and is backed up fully by Stena Line’s CEO Niclas Mårtensson:

“With our new daily route between Hanko and Nynäshamn, we heavily expand and strengthen our position in the Baltic Sea. And we do so for the most important reason: customer demand! Growing with our customers, we are investing in the new service to accommodate the increasing demand of our freight customers for seamless transports in the Baltic Sea and beyond. By extending our network to Finland, we further improve and expand the most comprehensive, efficient, and integrated ferry network in northern Europe”, says Niclas Mårtensson.