| The three current Larne - Fleetwood
vessels are an Irish Sea institution. Since their introduction in
1975 at least one of the ships has been part of the shipping scene at
Larne almost on a daily basis. Designed and built for Stena Line in 1975 all 3 vessels came from the Siestas shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, but to date none of them have ever sailed in service for Stena Line nor have any of them carried a Stena name. This page will show in pictures their transformation into Stena Line ships during the run up to and after the handover of the Larne - Fleetwood route to Stena Line on the 19th of April. The transition of funnel repainting and renaming of the vessels was completed on the 8th of May when European Seafarer had her funnel painting finished and her hull names changed to Stena Seafarer. The final addition of the Stena Line trading name in large letters to the hull of the 3 vessels will most likely be carried out when the vessel's receive their annual dry docking in July and August. European Seafarer / Stena Seafarer latest picture sequence updated on the 10th of May 2004.
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| European Pioneer (Picture Sequence Updated 2nd May) | |
| Lost the majority of her P&O markings on the 17th of April. They were painted out by the Larne rope men alongside Continental Quay from one of McLoughlin's work boats. | |
 17th March 2004: Full P&O colours. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
 17th April 2004: Lost P&O hull and forward superstructure logos. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
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| 18th April 2004: Partial re-painting of the funnel into Stena Line red. Left picture shows the European Pioneer departing Larne at 1115hrs right picture shows her passing the Isle of Man coast heading for Fleetwood. Left photo: LFW. Right photo: Alex McCormac (click to enlarge) | |
 European Pioneer at Larne on the 20th of April, the P&O flag is now painted over red. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
 Pictured departing for Fleetwood on the 23rd of April her funnel only lacks the Stena S, the white stripes and blue border have been added. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
 European Pioneer in a rare view pictured at Belfast on the 1st of May, probably for the first time since the 1970's when she was brand new (anyone got more specific info on past visits by the Bison / European Pioneer to Belfast??). She is pictured laid up at Stena's conventional ramp undergoing final painting of her Stena funnel and renaming to Stena Pioneer. Photo: Wilson Adams (click to enlarge) |
 Inbound to Larne for the first time as Stena Pioneer on the 2nd of May at 0815hrs. Her funnel is complete and the hull has her revised Stena names. Above the bridge the starboard side nameplate is simply Stena while the port side one is blank for now. Her first commercial voyage under her new name was from Larne to Fleetwood at 1000hrs on the 2nd of May. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
| European Seafarer (pictures updated 10th May) | |
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| European Seafarer at Cairnryan on the 16th of April. The small forward P&O logo on the superstructure below the bridge wing has been removed and the name plates above the bridge have been amended to read E Seafarer. In the right picture E Seafarer is in the process of becoming Stena Seafarer. Photos: LFW (click to enlarge). | |
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| Also added at Cairnryan on the 16th was new red paint work to the funnel, but it wasn't captured on camera until the European Seafarer's 2000hrs service from Larne back to Cairnryan. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) | Saturday the 17th was a rainy day but it didn't stop the Seafarer's crew getting on with more painting. Here is the Seafarer arriving at Larne with the 0730 service ex Cairnryan on the 18th of April. All P&O traces have been removed from the starboard side. Photo: LFW |
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| At MacKean Quay on the 18th of April. Stena Seafarer now in place above the port bridge wing. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) | P&O on the port side partially covered with grey primer on 18th April at MacKean Quay. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
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| Shifting to Continental Quay on the 18th of April. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) | 1500hrs on 19th of April, the European Seafarer loads the last ever P&O outward bound cargo on the Larne - Fleetwood route. All sailings after this time are officially Stena Line sailings. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
 Pictured arriving at Larne on the 21st of April and flying the Stena houseflag from the main mast. Photo: Wilson Adams (click to enlarge) |
 Arriving into Larne at 1445 on the 25th of April, while covering for the Stena Leader's weekend lay up. Photo: LFW |
| On the 8th of May the European Seafarer completed the repainting schedule for now when she had her funnel completed and the European Seafarer name on the hull amended to Stena Seafarer. Thanks to the ship's master, Captain Gerry Hughes, the Larne Ferry Web camera was able to record some of the transition in progress. | |
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| Above, Above right and right: 3 shots showing the end of European Seafarer and the beginning of Stena Seafarer on the port side aft nameplate. All pictures taken on the 8th May at Curran Quay. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
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| Starboard side aft with Stena Seafarer proudly displayed. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) | Berthed at Curran Quay looking along the stern line port side Stena Seafarer almost complete. Photo LFW (click to enlarge) |
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| Revealing trade secrets here, a giant 12 foot tall Stena S cut out of cardboard provides the template for the painters to work to. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) | First sailing in her new colours: The 1600hrs service to Fleetwood on the 9th of May, Stena Seafarer heads out past the Chaine Memorial Tower. Photo: LFW |
| European Leader (Updated 2nd May) | |
 In full P&O colours on the 4th of April 2004. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
 Passing the Northern tip of the Isle of Man inbound to Larne on the 18th of April the European Leader has now lost her port side flag logo. Photo: Alex McCormac (click to enlarge) |
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| The ship lost the small P&O superstructure logos and the starboard side hull logo on the 10th of April. On the 18th of April (pictured here) the funnel has been painted over with grey primer. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) | Berthing at Larne on the 18th of April, the port side of the funnel has a scaffold in place for continued painting. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
 Grey Primer now on the port side of the funnel and hull P&O mark also covered with grey primer on 19th April. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
 By the 20th of April the European Leader had her funnel painted red (here she is pictured on the 21st). Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
 In close up on the 21st of April, European has been removed from the bridge name plate and the main mast is flying the Stena house flag. Photo: LFW (click to enlarge) |
 Sunday 25th of April during her weekend lay up (European Seafarer covered her usual Saturday night departure). The Stena S on the funnel in the final stages of painting. Also added on the 24th her new name Stena Leader to the hull. Photo: LFW |
 Departing Larne's Curran Quay on Sunday 25th of April to let the European Mariner in to load. The scaffold is still over the bow to allow access for changing her hull name to Stena Leader. Photo: Larne Ferry Web (click to enlarge) |
 Another view of Stena Leader arriving from anchor on 25th of April. LFW (click to enlarge) |
 The Stena Leader had the uppermost blue stripe on her funnel added between Sunday the 25th April and Thursday 29th April thus completing her funnel painting. Here she is pictured at Continental Quay loading for her 2200hrs sailing to Fleetwood on the 1st of May. Photo: Gary Andrews (click to enlarge). |
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