New ships shape up for P&O Ferries

The first of two huge new ships being built for P&O Ferries has passed a major construction milestone with its keel laying in Rauma, Finland.

In keeping with tradition coins were placed under the keel for good fortune at a formal ceremony staged at the STX Europe shipyard.

At 49,000 gross registered tonnes, and with an overall length of 212 metres, the new ships are by far the largest ferries ever designed for the Dover – Calais route. The first will come into service at the end of next year followed by the second in September 2011.

Speaking at the ceremony, Helen Deeble, chief executive of P&O Ferries, said: “These new ships represent an investment of €360 million in our continued success as market leaders in the UK ferry industry.

“Their scale is unprecedented for the Dover – Calais route, being specifically designed to the maximum dimensions the ports can accommodate, and we look forward to introducing our customers to these exciting additions to our fleet in due course.”

P&O Ferries operates a fleet of 25 ferries from the UK to the continent, Ireland and Northern Ireland, carrying around ten million passengers, two million tourist vehicles and two million freight units annually.

Contacts:
Chris Laming, Brian Rees, Natalie Hardy, Michelle Ulyatt
Tel: +44(0)1304863833 (24 hours)
E-mail: communications@POferries.com