(23 August 07, London) Stena Line has ordered two new RoPax vessels valued at around SEK 2 billion from Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea. The vessels will be put into service in 2011 and they are planned to operate the route Harwich to Rotterdam.

'We have invested about SEK 7 billion in recent years in new and modernised vessels and we have decided to invest a further SEK 6 billion in new ships. The new vessels are part of Stena Line's strategy of improving capacity, service and quality, for our freight customers,” says Gunnar Blomdahl, Stena Line's CEO.

The two new RoPax vessels will be built in South Korea by Samsung Heavy Industries. The shipyard has previously built a number of shuttle tankers and ice-class tankers for Stena Bulk.

'We are very pleased that we've contracted Samsung to build the vessels as we know that they can deliver top quality vessels,” says Gunnar Blomdahl.

The two new RoPax vessels are sister ships to the Stena Trader and the Stena Traveller, which went into service on the North Sea earlier this year. The vessels will also be equipped with the latest energy management technology, making them as efficient as possible to run.

“Our focus has been to make the new vessels as energy- and fuel-efficient as possible to minimise their environmental impact, whilst being cost-effective,” says Gunnar Blomdahl.

*approximately £145million

For additional information see: www.stenaline.com