A Stena Line ferry hit a Welsh port in an incident which saw over 150 passengers evacuated. The Stena Line ferry sustained a hull breach at Holyhead port, with 500 tonnes of water pouring into an engine room.
The Stena Estrid vessel had been travelling from Dublin to the Anglesey port, carrying 157 passengers and crew members on board.
During the incident at 7.50am on January 7 this year, the ferry – which was being guided by a tug boat – struck an unprotected turning fender as it manoeuvred before “backing in”.
The ferry’s hull was holed just below the waterline in the starboard engine room and above the waterline on the cargo deck. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
The damage resulted in approximately 500 tonnes of water flooding into the starboard engine room, with an undetermined volume also entering an adjoining void space.
Crew members reacted swiftly by reinforcing the hull below the waterline, pumping out the affected areas and redistributing ballast to create a port list and lift the damaged section above the waterline, reports North Wales Live.
Once the situation on board had been brought under control, the Stena Estrid was able to proceed with docking, allowing passengers to disembark and vehicles to be unloaded without significant disruption.
Holyhead Port remained closed to ferry traffic until later that evening, when the Stena Estrid was relocated to another berth and a structural assessment of the jetty was carried out. No significant damage to the jetty was found and the terminal was subsequently returned to service.
Following temporary repairs, Stena Estrid made its way to a dry dock in Liverpool under its own power.
An investigation was launched by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, with its findings now made public.
The report revealed that Holyhead Port had experienced a number of ferry-related incidents over the preceding year, including contact with Terminal 5 in May 2025, and a further incident in December 2025 that resulted in the terminal’s ongoing closure.
In July 2025, Holyhead Port Authority issued a notice warning that the turning fender involved in the incident was not to be used.
While Stena Estrid’s master was aware of the need to avoid the turning fender during berthing, the vessel approached the jetty more rapidly than anticipated.
The report attributed this to being “likely due to its position after turning off the jetty and the strong westerly winds blowing onto it”. It noted that the berthing operation fell within the operating parameters of both the port and the vessel.
The report highlighted instances of conflicting communications between Stena Estrid and the tug, with the tug’s effectiveness being hampered by its position on Stena Estrid’s port aft quarter.
A subsequent inspection of the turning fender uncovered several sharp protrusions on the face plate and the absence of a rubber fender structure. Stena Estrid’s crew had no prior knowledge of these sharp protrusions or the degree of potential damage they could inflict upon contact.
Following the incident, Stena Line reviewed and reduced the operating parameters for all ferries operating in Holyhead Port, while also requesting that Holyhead Harbour Authority inspect and carry out repairs to the damaged fendering on the Terminal 3 jetty.
A memo was also issued to all deck officers, emphasising the critical importance of reporting closing and clearing distances while on mooring stations.
Stena Line Ports has undertaken a comprehensive restructure of its UK harbour authorities in the wake of earlier incidents at Holyhead Port’s Terminal 3 and Terminal 5, which has included the appointment of a new duty holder, designated person and regional harbour master. Protruding brackets have also been removed from the turning fender.
Furthermore, an improvement project to restore Holyhead Port Terminal 5 to service and bolster the resilience of both terminals is currently under way, with completion scheduled for October.
Planned works include installing new anodes, replacing deficient and missing fenders, and renewing two of the mooring dolphins.
The report concluded: “In light of the actions taken and the planned port improvements, the MAIB investigation into the incident has been closed.”
