Norsepower will deliver two of its Rotor Sails for Stena Line’s methanol hybrid newbuild RoRo vessel Stena Connecta. The ship will operate on the Irish Sea, between Belfast and Heysham, where wind conditions are very favourable for wind assisted propulsion.
The agreement is a step in Stena Line’s goal to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by thirty per cent by 2030.
Built by Jinling Weihai Shipyard in China, the 147-metre vessel will feature two 28×4-metre Norsepower Rotor Sails, projected to deliver up to nine per cent fuel savings on the planned trade route. The vessel is scheduled for delivery to Stena Line in Q4 2025.
Also read: Government funded Norsepower Rotor Sail to be fitted on cement carrier
Sister vessel ‘rotor sail ready’
Stena Connecta is one of two NewMax ships and both represent a step forward in sustainable shipping, built to operate on methanol and are part of a broader initiative to integrate sustainable technologies. Both can utilise battery propulsion and shore power, when available. Stena Line is working closely with methanol suppliers, ensuring future volumes of e-methanol.
The sister vessel in the same series, Stena Futura, is being delivered “rotor sail ready” further demonstrating Stena Line’s commitment to wind propulsion.
To minimise environmental impact during the project’s execution phase, the Norsepower Rotor Sails will be manufactured at Norsepower’s new production facility in Yancheng, China, and delivered directly to the shipyard. This approach reduces costs and emissions while exemplifying both companies’ dedication to sustainable operations.
Also read: Stena Line launches first NewMax ship, lays keel for second
First to run a ferry on methanol
Stena Line has a long history of embracing innovation, becoming the first ferry operator to run a vessel on methanol with the conversion of Stena Germanica in 2015.
Picture by Stena Line.
Also read: LR supports methanol retrofit of two Stena Line ferries
