The RoPax vessel Côte d'Opale – Stena's fifth E-Flexer vessel from the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai) – was delivered May 17, 2021 in a ceremony with representatives from Stena RoRo, DFDS and the shipyard.
The ship, at 214m long will become the longest ferry operating in the English Channe will enter service during the summer.
“Our focus is to adapt the design to our customers' specific wishes, and in this case, DFDS has been very involved in the ship's unique design,” said Per Westling, CEO of Stena RoRo. “In addition to far-reaching demands regarding the environmental aspects and technology, flexibility is one of the main characteristics of the E-Flexer class.”
To date, Stena RoRo has ordered nine large RoPax vessels of the E-Flexer type, five of which have now been delivered. The company has an option for additional vessels. The Côte d'Opale will serve the Dover-Calais line as a day ferry. Instead of cabins, there are extra-large areas devoted to activities and passenger comfort. The bow and stern are especially designed to fit the quayside facilities in both ports, and in addition, it is equipped with a third bow thruster to facilitate the many daily maneuvers in port.