Stena Line has welcomed the first of its new hybrid freight ferries to Belfast Harbor. The multimillion-pound purpose-built Stena Futura will go into service on the freight-only Belfast to Heysham route on September 22.
The 147-meter Stena Futura will operate 12 sailings per week providing much needed additional freight capacity on the popular route which connects local hauliers directly into the key North of England road freight network.
Once operational, Stena Futura and sister ship Stena Connecta, currently under construction and due to enter service also on the Belfast-Heysham route in early 2026, will enhance freight capacity by 40% on the Belfast-Heysham in response to an increase in customer demand for services between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
The two hybrid vessels, which are ‘methanol-ready’ will play a key role in Stena Line’s sustainability journey. They are further enhanced with built-in technologies that will be able to utilize both battery propulsion and shore power, when available.
Stena Futura represents a significant step forward in sustainable shipping, built to operate on methanol and is part of a broader initiative to integrate sustainable technologies. The sister vessel in the same series is being delivered “rotor sail ready,” further demonstrating Stena Line’s commitment to wind propulsion.
Stena Line is the largest ferry operator on the Irish Sea, with the biggest fleet providing up to 238 weekly sailings offering the widest choice of routes including: combined passenger and freight services from Belfast to Cairnryan and Liverpool, Dublin to Holyhead, Rosslare to Fishguard, in addition to the dedicated freight only routes from Belfast to Heysham and Dublin.