Contact of the roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry Stena Estrid with a jetty, resulting in a hull puncture and engine room flooding

Completed preliminary assessment (PA) summary 3/2026: Stena Estrid

At 0750 on 7 January 2026, the roll-on/roll-off passenger (RoPax) ferry Stena Estrid, operating its regular route from Dublin, Ireland, made contact with an unprotected turning fender at the northern extent of Terminal 3 at Holyhead Port, Wales (Figure 1). Before backing in, Stena Estrid had turned to port north of the jetty, during which a tug was made fast on the ferry’s port aft quarter. As Stena Estrid made contact, the ferry’s hull was holed just below the waterline in the starboard engine room and above the waterline on the cargo deck (Figure 2).

The damage caused approximately 500 tonnes of water to flood into the starboard engine room and an unknown quantity to flood into an adjacent void space. The crew responded quickly by shoring up the hull below the waterline, pumping out the spaces and transferring ballast to create a port list and raise the damage to above the waterline.

Once the situation on board was brought under control, Stena Estrid was able to continue berthing and disembark passengers and unload vehicles without significant delay. Holyhead Port was closed to ferry traffic until later that evening, when Stena Estrid was moved to another berth and a damage assessment of the jetty was conducted. No significant damage to the jetty was identified and the terminal was returned to service.  

Following temporary repairs, Stena Estrid travelled to a dry dock in Liverpool, England under its own power.

Holyhead Port had experienced several ferry‑related incidents over the previous year, including contact with Terminal 5 in May 2025, and another in December 2025 that resulted in the ongoing closure of the terminal.

In July 2025, Holyhead Port Authority issued Local Notice to Mariners 17/2025, advising that the turning fender involved in the incident was not to be used.