Stena’s £1.4bn ferry investment

Ferry operator Stena Line says road congestion and rising fuel prices are behind its decision to invest £1.4bn in two vessels to transport up to 500 trucks between Harwich and Rotterdam. The two RoPax vessels will go into service in 2011 and be sister ships to the Stena Trader and the Stena Traveller, which went into service on the North Sea earlier this year.

Stena says they will be equipped with the latest energy-management technology in order to minimise their environmental impact. Each ship will have 3,100 lane metres which can hold up to 250 units. The ferry company currently offers more than 30 daily crossings on six routes, including four daily crossings on its Harwich-Hook of Holland route.

A Stena Line spokesman says increasing congestion in the South-East means freight operators are looking for alternative routes into and out of the UK.

He adds: "Stena Line Freight has also identified that shorter travel times are also very popular with freight businesses as they fit their business needs. Plus, the new legal requirements mean drivers need to be rested - the sailing provides the perfect rest period and they can arrive at their destination ready for work."