The new ferry in the Stena Line fleet, commanded by Captain Andrew Parker is already on the final leg of its journey from China to Europe. The E-Flexer vessel will join the sister vessel, Stena Estelle, on the Gdynia-Karlskrona line.
The ship master Andrew Parker, who delivered the Stena Estelle this summer, has been given another assignment – this time it was for the twin vessel, the Stena Ebba. Captain Parker is a shipping veteran and passionate sailor who holds safety and sustainability close to his heart. His voyage on Stena Ebba is now coming to an end.
The final leg to Bristol in the UK awaits me, where I will disembark and hand over the helm to the operations captain, said Captain Andrew Parker.
photo: Stena Line
In Yantai, in China’s Shandong province, the Stena Ebba ship was fully loaded and set sail on its first voyage to Europe. The decision not to send the ship empty but to take cargo on this voyage has helped to reduce carbon emissions, reducing the number of freight units that would otherwise take up space on other ships. In a further effort to further Stena Line’s green agenda, this voyage took place at an economical, fuel-efficient speed. Among other things, the cargo consisted of hundreds of electric vehicles bound for the UK, so Stena Line can be said to have contributed to the electrification of the European car market.
The route led from the South China Sea with the first stop in Singapore to load fuel, drinking water, provisions and unload waste. From Singapore, the voyage is via the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.
During the voyage, the crew celebrated Stena Line’s 60th anniversary with a cake baked by the chef in the ship’s kitchen, and time on board was also used for crew training.
The ship performed really well throughout the cruise! ‘Thanks to the relatively smooth voyage and the lack of technical problems, we took advantage of some time on board to train the crew on safety procedures,’ said Captain Parker.
‘I feel honoured to have been given such an opportunity at the end of my maritime career. I also want to wholeheartedly thank my wife Karen for putting aside her own feelings and needs to wholeheartedly support me in this endeavour. I look forward to being home with my family again soon,” added Captain Parker.
The final leg of Stena Ebba’s journey to the Baltic Sea is just beginning. Soon, the new ship will arrive in Karlskrona, Sweden, and after a short stopover, it will sail to Poland, where it will soon start operating on the Gdynia-Karlskrona line.
More about the E-Flexers
Stena Ebba and Stena Estelle are among the largest ferries in the Baltic Sea in regular service. They are 240 metres long, offer seating for 1,200 people and each can accommodate up to 200 trucks on 3,600 metres of car decks. It is not only their size that is unique, but also their construction. They are energy efficient thanks to their optimised design. They can be converted to run on gas, allowing fuel to be changed to methanol or LNG. During port calls, the vessel can use shore power, reducing exhaust emissions. A connection to the electric grid will enable future conversion to a battery hybrid system. Passengers, meanwhile, will like the spacious, Scandinavian-finished interiors, with views of the sea through panoramic windows.
