Stena Line Acquires RoRo Vessel

Stena Line reached an agreement to acquire the RoRo vessel Somerset from CLdN. Somerset is a 1999-built 183.4m RoRo with 2,504 lane meters. The deal is subject to closure and transfer, the vessel would begin operating on the Dublin–Liverpool route for Stena Line in early December. As part of the changes, the ferry company will deploy its own vessels on the Rotterdam–Harwich route.

Delivery of Somerset is expected later in October and, after a period in dry dock for refurbishment and repainting, the vessel is expected to enter service on the Dublin–Liverpool route in December. The vessel will be renamed Stena Freighter. Somerset has previously operated within Stena Line’s network as a chartered vessel.

Stena Line currently operates the Rotterdam–Harwich route with two chartered vessels – Mistral from Godby Shipping and Thuleland from Wallenius SOL. The charter agreements for these vessels will soon expire, and both vessels will be returned to their owners at the end of the year.
The Rotterdam–Harwich route will, however, continue to be served by two vessels, with Stena Scotia and Stena Hibernia being redeployed from the Irish Sea and the Dublin–Liverpool route, where Stena Freighter (Somerset) will replace their service. The freight route between Dublin and Liverpool will return to being served by one vessel instead of two, as has been the case for most of 2026