Berthing Trails - Stena Hollandica

[Hawkeye]

Hi
Here is a photo oppertunity for anyone in Harwich or bit of land opposite the Hook of Holland.  The new Stena Hollandica is due into Harwich on the morning of the 12th for berthing trails at the new berth. She will then procede to the Hook for berthing trails there. Afterwards, go to a lay by berth to store up and train crew.
Her maiden voyage is due on the 16th May with the 14.30 (local time) departure from the Hook of Holland.

[Dean Porter]

Hi,

I wish I wasgoing to be there. What is going to happen to the other Hollandica and Britannica?

Thanks
Dean

[Robert Smith]

Here's the latest update. Best and earliest photo opportunity is in Harwich indeed....
Sailing schedule Stena Hollandica (III) NB 159
Fri 7-mei Wismar delivery by the shipyard to Stena RoRo
Mon 10-mei Dep Wismar 14:00 sailing to Harwich
Wed 12-mei Arr Harwich 8:45 arriving after departure Stena Britannica at 08:30 berth fit from 08:45 till 11:00
Dep Harwich 11:00 to Hoek van Holland Arr Hoek van Holland 22:30 arriving after departure Stena Britannica at 22:00 berth fit/lay over/stores from 22:00 till 06:00
Thu 13-mei Dep Hoek van Holland 6:00 to lay-by berth at shipyard in Rotterdam Arr Rotterdam 8:00 lay-by in
Rotterdam 9:00 Familiarisation and stores
Fri 14-mei Familiarisation and stores
Sat 15-mei Familiarisation and stores
Sun 16-mei Dep Rotterdam 11:00 departure to Hoek van Holland Arr Hoek van Holland 12:00
Dep Hoek van Holland 14:30 In schedule

Rgds,
Robert

[Hawkeye]

Hi Dean,
The current plan is the present Britannica & Hollandica are going to the Gothenburg - Keil route and taking the names of the ships currently there. Hollandica will become Stena Germanica & the Britannica, the Stena Scandinvica. The current Germanica / Scandinavica are also being transferred to the Poland - Sweden route. They will also be renamed. There is currently a completion among Stena staff for new names. Off the current Poland - Sweden ships, the Finnarrow is going back to her owners (she was only chartered to us). As for the Baltica, her future has yet to be decided.
The other run affected is the Travemunde - Gothenburg run. The two freight ships on this run are also going elsewhere, as this run is closing. It is widely thought that they will be replacing the two Harwich - Europoort ships, but nothing has yet been confirmed.
How's things over in Canada?
regards
Karl

[Dean Porter]

Hi Karl,

Things are fine here. Hope thing are good with you. The two freght ships your referring to are Freighter and Crrier? What will happen to the Scanrail?

Regards
Dean

[Hawkeye]

The Scanrail is on another run, so she isn't effected by the closing of the route.
Regards
Karl

[polsteam]

"The current Germanica / Scandinavica are also being transferred to the Poland - Sweden route. They will also be renamed. There is currently a completion among Stena staff for new names".

There was a competition announced in Polish media and on Polish website of Stena for new names, so putting forward name suggestions will certainly not be limited to Stena Line staff.

[Hawkeye]

''There was a competition announced in Polish media and on Polish website of Stena for new names, so putting forward name suggestions will certainly not be limited to Stena Line staff''

Hi Polsteam, I was unaware of the Polish media announcement. I seen the competition on the Stena Employees Website. I assumed it was only for Stena Staff.
Any favorites for the new names?

[polsteam]

No leaks from Stena :-)

Results not officially revealed yet.

But my personal bet (guessing / expectation, not my personal choice) is "Stena Polonica" and "Stena Swedica" or "Suedica".
Besides "Polonica", in my opinion, the second ship could also take over the name from current "Baltica".

I regret I forgot and missed to take part in competition, I could have sent several various proposals and have a little chance to win a short cruise, useful for me only for the purpose of shipspotting / taking ship pictures from relatively high level of upper decks of Baltica, especially when departing from or arriving to Gdynia, because in Karlskrona you have less shipspotting opportunities available.

Among ferries running from Polish ports, for best food the obvious choice is Unity Line over Stena. As for food, Stena has a lot to learn from Unity Line.

I do not like highly unified (dull), "corporate" styling of Stena ferries (new ships and older ones after refurbishment or conversions).

I support Stena's policy of organizing "open ship" day in Gdynia every year for 3 or 4 years now.

Of course Stena's PR tries to fully justify and defend Germanica and Scandinavica as "the best choice for Gdynia-Karlskrona" ( + "huge investment" Stena commits to this route by converting / refurbishing of these two ferries - as they are trumpeting) and these are certainly nice ships and it will be a good thing to have them on this line (especially because of sentiment, as they have been built in Poland), but this choice clearly shows Stena had to (was forced to) re-evaluate earlier over-optimistic development trends estimations (prospects) for Gdynia-Karlskrona, and had been simply wrong at some point (period) in the past when they had been announcing bringing current ("old") Hollandica and Brittanica to Gdynia-Karlskrona.

Ships known so far as Germanica and Scandinavica may obviously be rightfully the best or only option for tonnage renewal for Gdynia - Karlskrona, especially in present market situation, but still they come as a kind of disapointment in view of previous bold Stena statements about the development potential of Gdynia - Karlskrona route and about plans to bring current Hollandica and Brittanica here.
Please, keep also in mind that Finnlines calls to the port of Gdynia with their - in terms of lane metres capacity - world's largest or close to being largest ro-pax'es so far (until arriving of new Hollandica and Brittanica on the market) in Helsinki - Gdynia - Rostock service..

- - - - -

Which upper decks / parts of upper decks are accessible to public (passengers) onboard current Germanica and Scandinavica to be moved to Poland - Sweden route ?...

[Kai R]

Hallo,

does anybody know where the old Hollandica will travel to, which shipyard will convert her and when she is due to start on the Kiel-Route?

Regards

Kai

[polsteam]

As of today's knowledge Hollandica is expected to arrive at Remontowa shipyard, Gdansk, Poland (renowned for many successful conversions and refurbishings of Stena, Color Line, DFDS and other operators' ships and recent emergency repairs of Silja ferry after it had its rudder stock broken) on May 18th, 2010. The new superstructure blocks (I do not remember exactly what I saw - two or three decks...) are already awaiting her arrival.

[polsteam]

Hollandica passed by Copenhagen Monday in the evening and is expected in Gdansk at noon approximately on Tuesday, 18th May.