MS Stena Baltica (2005)
{{other ships|MS Stena Baltica}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Stena Mersey, River Mersey (geograph 4593080).jpg | Ship caption = Stena Mersey, seen from New Brighton, entering the River Mersey in 2015. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship name = *2005–2010: Mersey Viking
| Ship owner = *2005–2012: Levantina Trasporti Srl
| Ship operator = *2005–2006: Norse Merchant Ferries
| Ship route = *Birkenhead–Belfast (2005–2021) | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Cantiere Navale Visentini | Ship yard number = 213 | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 2 July 2005 | Ship completed = December 2005 | Ship christened = | Ship acquired = | Ship maiden voyage = December 2005 | Ship out of service = | Ship registry = *2005–2008: Bari, {{flag|Italy}}
| Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|9329851}}
| Ship fate = | Ship status = in service | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship type = Ferry | Ship tonnage = {{GT|26,500}} (as built) | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{ubl|{{convert|186.46|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (as built)|{{cvt|222|m|ftin}} (2021 rebuild){{cite news|url=http://aerospaceprofessional.org/Magazines/MaritimeReporter/202101/page/44|title=Stena Line's Modernized Ferry Pair|work=Maritime Reporter|date=January 2021|accessdate=6 March 2021}}}} | Ship beam = {{convert|25.6|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = | Ship draft = {{convert|6.63|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship ice class = | Ship sail plan = | Ship power = 2 x MAN B&W 9L 48/60B | Ship propulsion = *2 × Controllable pitch propellers
| Ship speed = {{convert|24|kn|0|lk=in}} | Ship capacity = *980 passengers (As built, limited to 720 passengers by Stena)
| Ship crew = | Ship notes = Ship lengthened during 2021 }} |
MS Stena Baltica is a RoPax ferry, owned by Stena Line and operates on the Baltic Sea between Nynäshamn, Sweden and Ventspils, Latvia. The ship previously operated on the Irish Sea, between Birkenhead and Belfast, as Stena Mersey.
The ship was built in Italy by Cantiere Navale Visentini and launched in 2005. As built, the vessel measured {{GT|26,500|disp=long}} and could carry up to 980 passengers. The on-board cabins had space to sleep 480 passengers. There are four vehicle decks with a capacity for approximately 200 trailers. The vessels maximum speed is {{convert|27|kn|lk=in}}, but usually sails at {{convert|23|kn}} in normal service.
History
Stena Baltica was launched in December 2005 as Mersey Viking, entering service with Norse Merchant Ferries later the same month. A few months later, Norse Merchant Ferries was acquired by Norfolkline. Mersey Viking received Norfolkline lettering on her red hull but retained her Norse Merchant Ferries funnel for several years.
In July 2010 Norfolkline was acquired by DFDS. The vessel was renamed Mersey Seaways during her refit in August 2010. Later that same year, DFDS sold its Northern Irish operations to Stena Line.{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|access-date=7 December 2010|title=Stena ends Larne to Fleetwood line and buys Belfast routes|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11910853|date=3 December 2010}} In August 2011, the vessel was renamed Stena Mersey{{cite web| url = http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?mmsi=235068243| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100223054432/http://marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=235068243| archive-date = 2010-02-23| title = MERSEY VIKING – 9329851 – Vessel's Details and Current Position}}
Early in 2012, Stena Mersey, along with her sister ship {{MS|Stena Lagan||2}}, was given a complete interior and exterior refit and repaint at Harland & Wolff.
Stena Mersey was replaced on the Birkenhead to Belfast route in February 2021,{{cite news|url=https://www.niferry.co.uk/farewell-stena-mersey/|title=Farewell Stena Mersey! Liverpool ferry leaves Belfast for the final time|work=NIFerrySite|date=14 February 2021|access-date=6 March 2021}} following the introduction of the {{sclass2|E-Flexer|ferry|1}} {{MS|Stena Embla||2}} in late January 2021. Stena Mersey is due to undergo lengthening at the Sedef Shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul, with the inclusion of a {{convert|36|m|ft|abbr=on}} midsection, renamed as Stena Baltica and then re-entering service. Stena Baltica is planned to operate on the Baltic Sea between Nynäshamn and Ventspils.{{cite news|url=http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/good_for_business/?doc=161536|title=Stena Line to put Stena Scandica and Stena Baltica ferries on Ventspils-Nynashamn route|work=The Baltic Course|date=21 December 2020|access-date=6 March 2021}}
Route
Stena Mersey operated on the Birkenhead–Belfast route with her marginally older sister ship Stena Lagan. The total journey time on board the ship was 8 hours.
On board
Stena Mersey carried a maximum of 720 passengers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.niferry.co.uk/stena-lagan-stena-mersey/|title=STENA LAGAN / STENA MERSEY (C.N. Visentini 212/213) NI Ferry Site|website=NI Ferry Site|date=22 October 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|IMO 9329851}}
- [http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/ Stena Line website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610071814/http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/ |date=10 June 2017 }}
- [http://www.dfdsseaways.com DFDS Seaways website]
- [http://www.norfolkline.com Norfolkline website]
- [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/mersey_viking_2005.htm Faktaom Fartyg]
- [http://www.ferry-site.dk/ferry.php?id=9329851&lang=en Ferry-site]
{{FerriesIrishSea}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stena Baltica (2005)}}
Category:Ferries of the United Kingdom
Category:Ferries of Northern Ireland