AVIC Weihai Shipyard has laid the keel for a Ro-Pax ferry being built for Stena Line.
The new vessels will have capacity for 1,000 passengers, 120 cars as well as 3,100 freight lane metres.
The new RoPax ferries will be among the most energy efficient in the world with significantly lower CO2 emissions per freight unit against comparable Ro-Pax tonnage.
The ferry will be deployed by Stena Line on its Liverpool – Belfast route.
Construction began on a Ro-Pax for Stena Line's Belfast – Birkenhead last week.