Stena RoRo takes delivery of its newest E-Flexer, Saint-Malo
Written by Marine Log Staff
Photo: CMJS Shipyard
Stena RoRo has taken delivery of the Saint-Malo, the eleventh in a series of 15 E-Flexer vessels from Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai).
The ship is long-term chartered to France’s Brittany Ferries. In February next year, it will enter the Portsmouth – Saint-Malo route, replacing the Bretagne, which has sailed on the route since 1987.
It is the fourth of five E-Flexers that have been ordered for charter to Brittany Ferries’ fleet and the second capable of operating on LNG, the first being the Salamanca, delivered in 2021.
The Saint-Malo is now on its way to Europe and is expected to arrive at its home port by the end of the year and enter service on February 12, 2025.
As with four of the five E-Flexer ships that Stena RoRo is delivering to Brittany Ferries, the vessel will be powered by multi-fuel engines as well as the market’s largest battery-hybrid package, delivering an impressive 12 MWh. With the help of these batteries, the ship will be able to operate in and out of port with batteries only and even maneuver during docking and departure without the ship’s diesel engines being in operation.
The Saint-Malo is also equipped with a shore connection with an output of 8 MW for high-speed charging of the batteries, enabling a completely fossil-free stay when in port. With the installed battery capacity, the vessel can run at speeds of up to 17.5 knots on batteries alone.
With over 380 passenger cabins in various categories, the Saint-Malo is the E-Flexer with the highest passenger cabin capacity.
The ship’s engines can operate on marine diesel (MGO), liquified natural gas (LNG) or biodiesel and biogas. In addition, the PTI/PTO system with the Battery Power function can be used for propulsion or maneuvering in port. The system is scalable, which means that in the future the Saint-Malo can operate entirely on batteries or on a combination of these different fuels.
The E-Flexer series utilizes a basic concept with vessels larger than most existing RoPax ferries and is highly flexible. Each ship is tailored to customers’ needs, both commercially and technically. An optimized design of the hull, propellers and rudders together with opportunities to incorporate new environmentally friendly technology contribute to the E-Flexer vessels being at the forefront in terms of sustainability, performance and cost and energy efficiency.
“It is with great satisfaction and pride that we’ve now taken delivery of the eleventh E-Flexer vessel in the series,” says Per Westling, CEO Stena RoRo AB. “Within the framework of the E-Flexer concept, there has been continuous technical development, and we can offer our customers very flexible and future-proof propulsion systems that by a margin meet both present and future environmental requirements. The large battery hybrid system we installed on the Saint-Malo means that the ship can operate optimally, in steps with regulatory developments, or in accordance with the operator’s own policies.”
The Saint-Malo is being chartered to Brittany Ferries for 10 years with a purchase option after four years.
The total of five E-Flexer ships ordered by Brittany Ferries are renewing and modernizing the company’s current fleet of cargo and passenger ships. The first ferry, the Galicia was delivered in autumn of 2020, the second in November 2021, the third in December 2023. In October 2024, the Saint-Malo, which is the fourth vessel, was delivered, and in early January 2025, delivery of the fifth and final vessel is scheduled.
