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Allision in Holyhead investigated by MAIB
The MAIB has investigated the allision of the 'Stena Estrid' with a jetty in Holyhead Port on Jan 7, as the ferry was docking at Terminal 3 during its scheduled voyage between Holyhead and Dublin with 95 vehicles, 91 passengers, and 66 crew members on board. The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch reconstructed the circumstances of the event, during which the ferry sustained a breach in its hull, letting roughly 500 tonnes of seawater pour into its engine room and a neighbouring void compartment. Fortunately, the crew acted swiftly and effectively, promptly reinforcing the hull below the waterline, draining the affected areas, and shifting ballast to induce a port list that lifted the damaged section above the waterline. These measures averted a worse outcome, allowing the 'Stena Estrid' to finish docking, offload all passengers, and discharge vehicles. While the jetty itself escaped major damage, the incident forced Holyhead Port to shut down for several hours. The investigation pointed to multiple contributing factors behind the allision at Holyhead Port, a facility that had reportedly seen several prior ferry-related incidents. Terminal 5 had been out of service since December 2026, following another docking mishap triggered by severe weather that caused substantial damage. During the 'Stena Estrid' incident, a tugb was available to aid the ferry's docking operations. Prior to reversing, the vessel had turned to port north of the jetty, with the tug secured to the ferry's port aft quarter. The probe determined that conflicting communications between the ferry and the tug crew, combined with the tug's placement on the port aft quarter, limited its usefulness. As a result, any additional effort to use the tug to pull the vessel toward port would likely have intensified the impact with the jetty. Another element was that, although the 'Stena Estrid's captain knew of the need to steer clear of the turning fender during docking, the ship approached the jetty more rapidly than anticipated, probably due to its positioning after moving away from the jetty and strong westerly winds. Upon examining the turning fender, investigators also found several sharp projections on its face plate and noted the lack of a rubber fender structure. They emphasised that the ferry's crew had no prior knowledge of these protrusions or the level of damage they could inflict upon contact. In the aftermath, Stena Line and Stena Line Ports have implemented steps to prevent similar occurrences. Beyond removing the protruding brackets from the turning fender, a substantial investment was launched to bolster the resilience of both terminals 3 and 5. This work involved installing new anodes, replacing worn or absent fenders, and refurbishing two of the mooring dolphins.
Repairs of allision damage in Liverpool
On the morning of Jan 9, the 'Stena Estrid' left the port of Holyhead after temporary repairs and patching of the allision damage at starboard side. The ship was headed to the Cammel Lairds Shipyard in Birkenhead/Liverpool for drydocking in dock No 5 (Princess Dock), with the assistance of thw tugs 'Svitzer Elizabeth ASD' and 'Svitzer Amazonas ASD', where permanent repairs will be carried out. The damage suffered in the docking incident was visible at the height of the waterline with an impact mark above it. Repairs were completed on Jan 18, and the ship left Birkenhead enroute to Belfast.
Port of Holyhead temporary closed after allision
On Jan 7, 2026, Holyhead Port has been temporarily closed following the allision of the 'Stena Estrid' with a concrete structure during the berthing manoeuvre. The 'Stena Estrid' had sailed from Dublin at 04:30 a.m. and was due to dock at 08:00 a.m.. The passengers have disembarked as normal and the incident was being investigated. The ferry operators notified affected customers. Irish Ferries expected the situation to be resolved during afternoon, and that sailings would resume on schedule from 5:30 p.m. GMT. The 'Stena Estrid' had suffered some damage to its hull at starboard side, which was punched twice, and required repairs. The ferry was moved away from berth 3 for this purpose. The scheduled sailing back to Dublin at 4.30 p.m. was cancelled and the 'Stena Nordica' inserted as a replacement in the evening. The 'Stena Estrid' remained stationary in Holyhead as of Jan 8. The port operates Terminal 3 and Terminal 5. Terminal 5 was closed following an incident in Dec 2025, as one of the ferries docked in the port. Poor weather conditions have delayed underwater surveys, with repair work expected to get underway in January. In the meantime, both Stena Line and Irish Ferries were sharing Terminal 3, after altering their timetables to accommodate both services running from a single terminal. With Terminal 3 out of action, it meant no ships were able to dock.
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