In south-west Wales it was an end of an era at Fishguard yesterday, 13 July, as a much-loved Stena ferry left the Pembrokeshire port for the last time ever after more than two decades of service to Rosslare.

As the Western Telegraph reports, the Stena Europe has been operating on the St. Georges Channel run for the last 21 years, having originally served in Scandinavia and the North Sea for the Swedish based ferry company.

The veteran vessel dating to 1981 Afloat adds was the oldest ferry operating on the Irish Sea and was a twin of another former Rosslare ferry, Normandy which Irish Ferries had operated to France but the continental route is now based out of Dublin served by the W.B.Yeats.

Facilities on the Stena Europe included a tiered stern lounge comprising of a bar, stage and dance floor which was a pioneering feature that also appeared increasingly in that decade on cruiseships.

In more recent years, Stena introduced their Hygge Lounge. Also onboard is the Stena Plus lounge, a duty free shop, family lounge, children's playroom, cinema, self-service restaurant, ensuite cabins and extensive exterior decks.

At 24,828 tonnes the 149 metres ferry carried 480 cars or 1,120 lane metres of freight and up to 1,400 passengers and accommodation in 452 berths.

After the final sailing to Rosslare, the ferry departed Wexford, Afloat also adds today, 14 July, for Falmouth in Cornwall. This is to enable a dry-docking at A&P Falmouth of the ferry before a charter on the Gibraltar Straits takes place on a route between Spain and Morocco.

Replacing the ferry is the ropax Stena Nordica, which took up the service from Rosslare yesterday evening.

The ropax is no stranger to the Irish Sea as it operated on Dublin-Holyhead route between 2008-2015 and in recent years acted as a relief ferry also on the North Channel and the Rosslare-Fishguard route.

The newer 'Nordica' built in 2000 is of 24,206 tones and 170m long and can take 450 passengers, 300 cars or 1,700 lane metres of freight. This means that the ferry takes less passengers but more freight.

There are 152 cabins with a total of 222 berths.

For more on the replacement ferry on the Wales-Ireland route click here.