Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird completes overhauls of four Stena Line vessels with four more to follow in 2026. Tony McDonough reports

Cammell Laird is starting work on the overhaul of four Stena Line vessels after completing four in 2025.

Last year Ro-pax ferries Stena Embla, which operates the daily Birkenhead to Belfast route, Stena Scotia, Stena Hibernia and Stena Nordica all underwent upgrades and refurbishments at the Birkenhead shipyard.

Stena Embla received hull and structure painting, the complete overhaul of her fans, lifeboat and davit repairs, windlasses and mooring winch repairs and numerous steel repairs.

Work on Stena Scotia included the upgrade of her purifiers and oily water separator, bow thruster tunnel repairs, steel repairs throughout the vessel and a change of paint system on the underwater area.

Programme of works for Stena Hibernia included the upgrade of her purifiers, upgrade of oily water separator, bow thruster tunnel repairs, steel repairs throughout the vessel, main engine works/maintenance, shell plating repairs and mooring winch(s) maintenance.

Stena Nordica was subject to an extensive programme of works including hull and structure painting, windlasses and mooring winch works, steel repairs, bow flap removal and repair, generator overhaul and bow thruster works.

Four vessels due into the yard in 2026 are Stena Edda, which also operates the Birkenhead to Belfast service, Superfast VII, Superfast VIII and Stena Adventurer.

Phil Rogers, director of commercial at APCL Cammell Laird, said: “The results of working collaboratively with Stena is a testament to our teams’ technical capabilities and safety priorities.

“The APCL Cammell Laird team successfully completed the works on time – maintaining our reputation as a centre of excellence for ferries and cruise ships.”

In November 2025 LBN reported that Cammell Laird was enjoying a successful period of trading. Its accounts for the 12 months to March 31, 2025 showed 11% rise in revenues to £162.8m and pre-tax profits up 17% to almost £8.1m.

It is the third consecutive year of profit growth and, during the 12-month period, Cammell Laird was successful in winning new contracts such as Western Ferries for two new vessels, alongside existing projects, and the pipeline for future work is “strong”.

Workers at the yard are also putting the finishing touches to the first new Mersey Ferry for 60 years. Royal Daffodil, being funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to the tune of £26m, is due to come into service this summer.