Stena Germanica and Scandinavica --> Stena Vision and Stena Spirit...
but why ?...
obviously "general public" (not into shiplovers' matters) likes the new ship names or represents "whatever" or "who cares" attitude...
however, among those in Poland, who are a bit aware of Stena Line ship naming policy, there is quite a buzz
the names chosen by the Owners for new ferries to be deployed on Gdynia-Karlskrona route (until now known as Germanica and Scandinavica) - Stena Vision and Stena Spirit caused disappointment among Polish shiplovers...
even though new names generation "pattern", announced with the contest for new names among the public in Poland, included a suggestion of "universal" and "region neutral" names, it also strongly emphasized that "regional-wise" or "country-wise" names would be also warmly welcomed...
after all, this "regional/country-wise" pattern is quite common (if I am not wrong) for passenger and car ferries of Stena so far...
just to mention Hollandica, Brittanica, Scandinavica, Germanica, Baltica, Danica, Jutlandica, etc.
it is hard to understand, why the logics behind this "national/regional-wise" ship naming pattern was acceptable / was valid for so many ferries before (includning names Germanica and Scandinavica, which will be retained for new ships to enter Goeteborg-Germany service), but it cannot be valid for Gdynia-Karlskrona route ?...
why also Hollandica and Brittanica names may be retained (kept) even with change of ferries on the NL-UK route, but Gdynia-Karlskrona route does not deserve "regional-wise" names ?...
what is more, such "universal" ("regionally neutral") names have been mostly apllied to pure freight ferries (ro-ro's) and cargo dominant ro-pax'es, not on car-passenger ferries and "less cargo dominant ro-pax'es" such as current Germanica and Scandinavica...
in Poland, among shiplovers, there was a widespread expectancy, that one of the ferries (currently Germanica and Scandinavica) would be named "Polish-wise" and the other "Swedish-" or "Scandinavian-wise" (after region, country name, regional cultural icon or idea, etc.)
Polonica and Suecia or Swedica would be a great choice... why Stena did not go for this?...
(Scandinavica is "occupied" by retaining this name on the route from Goeteborg, but Scandinavica and Slavica would be also a great choice for Polish-Swedish route)
Stena Polonica is justified especially as one of the names originally intended for the series of ships which includes current Germanica, Scandinavica and El Venizelos was just Polonica !
there were many other options (also not given here) for "Polish-wise" naming of the ferry... Stena Kasubia (after region, where Gdynia is placed), Stena Pomerania, Stena Polonia, Stena Polonica, Stena Slavia, Stena Slavica, and others...
unfortunately very "plastic", "colorless" and "pseudo-universal", puff names have been chosen by Stena...
such puff names would be acceptable instead of "regional-wise" names (to some extend) if these ships were really modern and new, representing a big step forward (technically or otherwise)... but what brave, long-raging VISION or what kind of development and advancement SPIRIT is behind 30 years old ferries ?...
also the "intrusive universality" of the names VISION and SPIRIT (chosen against "regional-wise" names) makes an impression that Stena Line is not very much commited to Gdynia - Karlskrona route any more (in contrary to Public Relations puff)... maybe we will see Stena Vision and Spirit moving to another route (from Gdynia-Karlskrona) very soon (say.. one or two years)...
I personally wonder, why "VISION" was chosen for a ferry, when this name was clearly and strongly associated with innovative TANKER of Stena group (now known as Genmar Vision)...
it is also funny, that when the choice of names VISION and SPIRIT was anounced - the ship with Stena Spirit name already was in existence (shuttle tanker Stena Spirit - IMO 9208033 -
http://www.marinetraffic....?MMSI=311471000)
there are as many as 296 ships with "spirit" component in name among currently trading, on order and under construction fleet...
there are only 48 "visions" in ships' names at present...
- what a great "creativity" and "originality" in Stena's choice of new ferry names...
going aside from shiplover's interest in ship names... there were also hard to understand irregularities in "new ship names contest" announced among the public in Poland...
for example, when the names of the winners were announced, no ship names were announced at the same time (in contrary to what contest regulations and earlier Stena statements were saying)...
VISION and SPIRIT names were announced only a few days ago - WEEKS after the names of the winners of the contest were known...
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what's your opinion on Vision and Spirit names ?...
Topic: renamings - new Stena Line ferries' names (Read 1887 times)