STENA EBBA AND STENA ESTELLE
BOOSTING CAPACITY ON KARLSKRONA-GDYNIA ROUTE
As a response to increased customer demand in the Baltic Sea South region, Stena Line has introduced the two new E-Flexer vessels Stena Estelle and Stena Ebba. Ferries that will connect Southern Sweden and Poland.
Over the past year, Stena Line has done significant investments to modernise the Gdynia-Karlskrona ferry connection. In June 2022, operations were transferred to the new ferry terminal in Gdynia, which allows berthing of 240 m vessels and offers the possibility of developing an intermodal solution, thanks to its proximity to railway tracks. In September, the new E-Flexer Stena Estelle was introduced, followed by her sister vessel Stena Ebba.
MODERNISING OUR FLEET
On 3 September, Stena Estelle was named in Gdynia, by the Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for Economy, Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, the ship’s godmother. The day after, 4 September, Stena Estelle started operation on the Gdynia-Karlskrona route. In the beginning of this year the sister vessel Stena Ebba followed, with her first sailing from Gdynia to Karlskrona 2 January. On 11 January she was named by the godmother Ulrica Messing, the governor of the Blekinge region in Sweden.
The launch of the two new E-Flexers marks a new phase in the development of the Baltic Sea region. Marek Kiersnowski, Trade Director Baltic Sea South at Stena Line says:
“We are pleased to be able to offer our customers the most modern vessels on this market. The modernization of our fleet will enable a significant capacity increase, which is important not only for us and our customers, but also for the entire region and the countries we connect”.
Stena Ebba and Stena Estelle
EXPANDING CAPACITY
Stena Estelle and her sister vessel Stena Ebba are the two largest E-Flexer ferries ever built. At 240 meters in length (36 m longer than standard), they offer 263 cabins, ample space for 1,200 passengers and an overall freight capacity of 3,600 lane meters – 15% more cargo versus current E-Flexers. Loading and unloading are streamlined with a drive-through configuration for both car decks. Like all E-Flexers, Stena Ebba and Stena Estelle have been optimised for maximum efficiency in the design of their hulls, propellers and rudders. They can also be adapted to run on alternative fuels in the future.
A well attended naming ceremony for Stena Estelle in Gdynia. Godmother, on the right in the picture, was Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for Economy.
SUPPORTING EXPANSION
The introduction of the two E-Flexers is a vital part of Stena Line’s strategy for expansion as well as the company’s aim to develop sustainable shipping.
“The southern Baltic Sea is a key region for Stena Line and our route Karlskrona-Gdynia is a backbone for our ambition to grow and expand further. Stena Ebba, together with her sister vessel Stena Estelle, will set new standards of flexibility, service orientation and customer satisfaction. We should all be proud and excited to have Stena Ebba and Stena Estelle connecting some of the most dynamic markets in Europe”, says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO at Stena Line.
