Completed in 1991 for the Stena Group's chartering division Stena RoRo, the Stena Challenger was named in honour of the lost space shuttle, one of the Stena companies having been involved in salvaging the remains of the exploded capsule. The new ship's hull was constructed in Sweden before being towed to Norway for completion and, upon delivery, she was immediately transferred to Stena's newly acquired Sealink subsidiary and placed on Dover-Calais operations, entering service in June 1991. In 1992, a complete review of Sealink operations saw the ship transfer to a new Dover-Dunkerque freight run, but she soon returned to the Calais route in 1994 and stayed there until moving to the Holyhead-Dublin Port freight route in 1996, replacing her sister Stena Traveller. In May 2000, Stena confirmed the ship had been sold to Canadian operators Marine Atlantic for delivery a year later when she was renamed Leif Ericson.
STENA CHALLENGER
TOP: A very early impression of the new ships. In the event, both Stena Challenger and Stena Traveller were delivered with an additional passenger module astern of that shown here - in the 'Traveller's case, this was at first left empty, before being later fitted with cabins; the 'Challenger' however required the extra space for her Calais duties and spacious passenger space for 500 was included.
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e-mail: matt@hhvferry.com
ABOVE: Two views of the Stena Challenger's hull under construction at Bruce's yard in Landskrona, Sweden.
BELOW: The hull being launched in late 1990.
ABOVE: The Stena Challenger being fitted out at the Fosen shipyard, Rissa in Norway.
ABOVE & BELOW: Days after entering service on Dover-Calais operations, Stena Challenger is seen at Calais berth 5 on 5 July 1991. Three days later she was officially named in a joint ceremony at Dover with the Stena Invicta. The 'Challenger' had been rushed into service due to industrial action affecting the French Cote d'Azur and Fiesta.
ABOVE: The Stena Challenger's most notorious hour came on the beach at Calais when, to much media attention, she grounded there in late Summer 1995. In the subsequent visit to drydock, the Challenger became the first British ship in the new Stena  Line livery, Sealink Stena Line having already changed their name to Stena Sealink in 1993.
ABOVE: The Stena Challenger seen leaving Calais in Stena Line livery in 1996.