Largest Ever Dover-Calais Ferries Ordered

P&O Ferries has signed a contract to construct two new ferries for the ever popular Dover-Calais ferry route between England and France.

These ferries are being built to replace the Pride of Dover and the Pride of Calais and the first of these will enter service in December 2010 and the second in September 2011

At almost 50,000 gross tonnes, the new ferries will be the largest ferries ever to operate this route and, at 210 metres in length, will be the largest ships capable of fitting into the dock facilities at Dover and Calais.

These new ferries will double the freight carrying capacity of the older ships they are replacing, whilst additionally providing a third vehicle deck for up to 250 tourist vehicles. Facilities for up to 1,500 freight drivers and passengers will set a new benchmark in quality standards as P&O plans to capture growth in the freight market, which currently runs in excess of five per cent a year.