Stena RoRo E-Flexer starts its charter to Canada’s Marine Atlantic
Written by Nick Blenkey
Ala’suinu, the E-Flexer RoPax ferry that Marine Atlantic has on charter from Stena RoRo. [Photo: Stena Ro Ro]
China’s CMI Jinling, Weihai Shipyard yesterday delivered Ala’suinu, the E-Flexer RoPax ferry that Stena RoRo is chartering to Marine Atlantic, the Canadian federal corporation that provides freight and passenger services between the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.
The E-Flexer vessels are larger than today’s standard RoPax ferries and the flexible design allows each ship to be tailored to the charterer’s needs. With a length of 203 meters and beam of 27.8 meters, the Ala’suinu will have a capacity for 1,000 passengers and 2500 cargo meters freight.
“We are very excited to welcome the Ala’suinu to our service,” says Gary O’Brien, chair of the Marine Atlantic board. “With a focus on reducing our environmental impact, the latest accessibility features, state-of-the-art technologies, and enhanced customer amenities, I am confident our customers will be impressed with the newest addition to our fleet. I would like to thank the Government of Canada for their investment making it possible to add the Ala’suinu to our fleet.”
“I would like to thank our partner, Stena RoRo, for their dedication and commitment to ensuring the delivery of the Ala’suinu,” says Murray Hupman, president and CEO, Marine Atlantic. “Our charter period has now begun, and we will have the option to purchase the vessel after the period. We are excited for the enhancements this vessel will offer our customers and I look forward to its arrival in April.”
The Ala’suinu (pronounced Ah-laa-sue-in-ou), is a name that means “traveler” in Mi’kmaq. The eagerly awaited vessel further builds upon Marine Atlantic’s commitment to the environment by reducing carbon emissions using battery power to complement the vessel’s efficient engine design. The Ala’suinu will also introduce measures to decrease underwater noise, reducing the impact on marine life. The vessel incorporates the latest Canadian accessibility standards and provides customers with a variety of amenities such as 146 passenger cabins (including 31 pet friendly cabins), 40 passenger pods, a variety of food service options, seating lounges, a children’s play area, and a kennel for pets.
The E-Flexer will primarily operate on the Argentia service this summer, connecting customers between Cape Breton and eastern Newfoundland, and operate between Port aux Basques and North Sydney during the fall, winter, and spring periods.
“These vessels are a further development of our previous RoPax concepts, where the focus on sustainability and future-proofing has been a top priority,” says Per Westling, managing director, Stena RoRo. “In this vessel, another dimension of sustainability has been added as the vessel has been designed to make a minimum of noise in the surrounding sea for the benefit of the sensitive underwater fauna of Canada’s coasts. Multi-fuel engines and battery hybrid technology further contribute to minimizing Marine Atlantic’s environmental impact.”
