Stena Line has reached an agreement to acquire the RoRo vessel Somerset from CLdN. Subject to closure and transfer, the vessel would begin operating on the Dublin–Liverpool route for Stena Line in early December. As part of the changes, the ferry company will deploy its own vessels on the Rotterdam–Harwich route.

Delivery of Somerset is expected later in October and, after a period in dry dock for refurbishment and repainting, the vessel is expected to enter service on the Dublin–Liverpool route in December. The vessel will be renamed Stena Freighter. Somerset has previously operated within Stena Line’s network as a chartered vessel.

Changes to the network

Stena Line currently operates the Rotterdam–Harwich route with two chartered vessels – Mistral from Godby Shipping and Thuleland from Wallenius SOL. The charter agreements for these vessels will soon expire, and both vessels will be returned to their owners at the end of the year.

The Rotterdam–Harwich route will, however, continue to be served by two vessels, with Stena Scotia and Stena Hibernia being redeployed from the Irish Sea and the Dublin–Liverpool route, where Stena Freighter (Somerset) will replace their service. The freight route between Dublin and Liverpool will return to being served by one vessel instead of two, as has been the case for most of 2026

“We are very pleased with the agreement to acquire Somerset. It’s a vessel that fits well within our network and has the flexibility and capacity to operate on several of our routes. We know Somerset well from her previous service with us and know what she can deliver. With Somerset, we have an excellent option with significant capacity for the Dublin–Liverpool route,” says Magnus Lander, Head of Network & Business Development at Stena Line.

He concludes: “The acquisition also enables us to strengthen our presence on the Rotterdam–Harwich route by deploying our own two vessels, Stena Scotia and Stena Hibernia.”