A passion for service at sea

Every day, Stena Line ferries cross the North Sea to England. On board, service is at least as important as commerce. To deliver the perfect service, good partners are essential, says Stena Line’s Joyce de Bruin. “Time is so important in our business. Nedlin understood that very well from the beginning.”

Big in ferries and at home in many other markets, from travel to trade and retail & food: the originally Swedish Stena AB has more than 6,100 employees across Europe at Stena Line, the ferry company, alone. De Bruin is Regional Onboard Commercial Manager for the North Sea region, one of six regions where Stena Line operates. It is her responsibility to get passengers on board the best service, and to get the company the best revenue.

On the North Sea, ships sail from Hoek van Holland and Europoort to Harwich and Killingholme in England. The passenger ships Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica combine travel and cargo, with room for 1,285 ‘living souls’ on board. The two identical sister ships are among the largest ferries in the world and each has over 500 ‘hotel rooms’. Stena Transit and Stena Transporter transport around 160 trucks, with drivers, to Killingholme every day. In addition, four cargo ships, so-called Ro-Ro (roll on, roll off ), sail from Europoort to Harwich and Immingham.

Luxury

As soon as passengers board, their relaxation begins. De Bruin: “The crossing from Hoek van Holland to Harwich takes between 6.5 and 9 hours, depending on day or night departure. During daytime departures, passengers can visit several bars, our Taste restaurant or the Plus Lounge, where they can quietly enjoy a snack and a drink throughout the day. Or they choose the Family Hub, with movies and play screens for the kids.” If passengers want more privacy then they can book a cabin at a reduced rate. On nighttime departures, a cabin at the full rate is mandatory. This way, passengers arrive at their destinations rested

The ships to Killingholme always sail at night. “We are close to the Westland here”, De Bruin explains. “The drivers go from the ship to the auction in the morning to pick up flowers or other fresh produce. In the evening, they come back on board for a good meal and a nice bed. And go out again rested after breakfast.” The crossing is a luxury for drivers. “Normally they sleep in their cabin on the way, here in a single cabin with its own shower.” Thus, Stena Line, by market demand, combines the useful with the pleasant.

Future generations

The company is also keeping a close eye on the market for passenger ships. In early 2024, the Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica underwent major refurbishment. The ships came into service in 2010, but there appeared to be room for even better matching current and future demand. Smaller spaces, such as the conference room and cinema, have been removed. De Bruin: “Today, people don’t make much use of them.”

What did appear to be needed was more space to relax as well as good Wi-Fi. “The latter is still quite a challenge at sea”, laughs De Bruin. Stena Line is therefore using the Starlink satellites for a faster and more stable internet connection. 

“Furthermore, we saw increased demand for our Plus Lounge and it has doubled in capacity. And then there are the future generations, who also have different needs. We have tried to respond to that as well.”

You have to, she says. “The world is changing, you have to anticipate that. Stagnation equals regression, and we are not a company that stagnates. We are constantly working on our product and always want to go above and beyond to meet the needs of our customers. That’s what makes it so great to work here.”

Service and commerce

On board, the emphasis is on service, but it cannot be done without commerce. “The Stena Hollandica and Stena Britannica each have 5.5 km of car deck”, De Bruin says. “That is our core business: the transport we carry. The cabins are our hospitality side. And then we have the bars, shops and restaurants on board. We see those as a service for our passengers.”

Passion for the work is evident in all three. De Bruin lists Stena Line’s behavioural values: welcoming, caring, reliable. “There are such warm values within our company, you see them everywhere”, she says. “Everything we do, we do for our passengers. That’s also where the drive to want to perform comes from. We always want to sail on time and make sure our passengers have an enjoyable crossing.”

Time

Sailing on time’ is a challenge that cannot be met without good partners. A hotel is there all day, so is a hospital. But a ship is only in port for a short time. It comes in, is unloaded, and then there is a small time window within which suppliers can board. “Nedlin boards on deck 3, has to go to deck 7 to unload and then leaves rapidly.” Because then, Stena Line itself has to load again. 

De Bruin: “Time is so important in our business. Nedlin understood that very well from the beginning. If they do not deliver the laundry on time, the ship cannot leave and 1,100 passengers arrive late at their final destination. In the 1.5 years we have been working with Nedlin, it has always gone well. And that is quite special, considering the challenges we sometimes have.” She laughs: “With us, it’s never a dull moment!”

Storm at sea

Indeed, apart from time, the weather can also be a challenge. “I have not yet experienced a situation where we did not sail. But if it really storms, we may have to detour a bit, or arrive with tugs. If so, Nedlin may have to wait. Things like this are what make that partnership so important.” 

Another important issue is safety. “At sea, you don’t have regular emergency services. Of course, we have well-trained staff for this. But different rules apply on board, because you have to consider everything to keep it safe. You cannot leave a linen cart on the deck, because it will spin. Our ships are very stable, but at wind force 8 or 9, we have to secure everything. Our suppliers have to take that into account as well.”

Sustainable shipping

Sustainability also plays a role in every aspect of operations. By 2030, Stena Line aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 30%. Optimising the departures is essential to achieve that ambition. Stena Line never sails half-empty ships. The sailing times are adjusted to the market so that the car decks are fully utilised.

Other measures also contribute to the sustainability ambitions. De Bruin: “10 years ago, we were the first port in the Netherlands with shore power. While sailing, our ships generate their own power, and at the quay they use power from the shore.” The roof of the Hoek van Holland office is full of solar panels. And during the latest maintenance, the vessels were coated with special anti-friction paint on the underside. The eco-friendly paint reduces water resistance, saving the largest ships as much as 778,000 litres of fuel a year.

During the refurbishment of the Stena Britannica and Stena Hollandica, some of the seats and ceiling tiles were reused. Measures have been taken to reduce waste, and there are waterless urinals, scrubbers operating on the pressure of their own weight, and ECA disinfection water made from tap water, salt and electric pulses. “We are trying to make decisions on all sides that are as sustainable as possible”, says De Bruin. “That’s what I like about our company: we don’t just say it, we actually do it.”

Unique

The biggest challenge she faces in doing so? “That has to be the technology. We are testing alternative fuels on a number of ships. To what extent is this development ready to make the change? The same applies to electric sailing. The distance is a challenge, and electric sailing can only be done if there are solutions in the port as well. But more and more is coming to the market. We are moving forward step by step.”

For Stena Line, sustainability is woven into its long-term strategy. “Sometimes we make longer-term decisions that may not be beneficial in the shorter term, but in which we see a sustainable future.” De Bruin recognises this attitude at Nedlin. “The commitment is very high. We are both family businesses with a long vision for the future. We don’t just think about commerce, but also have passion and caring in mind. We look for solutions together and see what is best for both parties. That’s quite unique.”