Stena RoRo has ordered another two E-Flexer ro-pax vessels from the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai). The vessels will be delivered in 2027 to the Greek shipping company Attica Group and will operate in the Adriatic Sea.
Two E-Flexer ro-pax vessels
The vessels’ engines are of the multi-fuel type and can run on conventional marine fuel (HFO or MGO) or biodiesel. In addition, the engines are methanol-ready. The E-Flexer concept has been designed in line with future environmental requirements and, through its technical design, can meet existing and future international requirements by a wide margin. The vessels will be designed with the classification society notation ‘Battery power’, which means that in the future they will also be able to use batteries as a means of propulsion, partly or completely, depending on the battery development.
The two vessels will be on long-term charter to the Attica Group, with an option to purchase and a potential option for two more vessels. The E-Flexer series is based on a concept with larger vessels than today’s standard ro-pax ferries and is reportedly very flexible. Each ship is tailored to the customer’s needs, both commercially and technically. According to the companies, the hull, propellers and rudders have been designed to enable the incorporation of new environmentally friendly technologies. This is intended to ensure that the E-Flexer vessels provide sustainability, performance and cost-effectiveness.
These are Stena RoRo’s 14th and 15th vessels in the E-Flexer series. The company has ordered 15 E-Flexer vessels amd two New Max ro-ro vessels from CMI Jinling (Weihai) shipyard. Ten ships have been delivered.
Sustainability goals
Panos Dikaios, CEO of Attica Group, commented, “For three decades, the Attica Group has been renewed through the design and construction of new vessels. The Superfast series redefined the Adriatic ferry market in terms of quality and speed, the sister vessels Blue Star Patmos and Blue Star Delos significantly upgraded the travel experience on the Aegean Sea routes and the latest additions, the three state-of-the-art Aero Highspeed, have already contributed substantially to the increase in visitors to the Saronic Islands. Our agreement with Stena RoRo for the charter of two new state-of-the-art vessels sets new standards for the entire Greek ferry industry. It drastically reduces our environmental footprint, redefines the travel experience and responds dynamically to the challenges of tomorrow.”
Per Westling, CEO of Stena RoRo, stated, “The E-Flexer vessels for Attica have been jointly designed and ordered as the most bespoke E-Flexers so far. The design is extremely versatile, and the ships will, with their inherent flexibility of different fuels, battery hybrid operation and many other fuel-saving features, play an important role in the green transition of the Attica Superfast Adriatic ro-pax service.”
In related news, the 10th vessel in Stena RoRo’s E-Flexer series was recently delivered from the CMI Jinling (Weihai) Shipyard. Click here to read the full story.