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P&O Ferries currently operates a fleet of 5 multi-purpose passenger ferries and 2 freight only vessels.
The MV Pride of Dover and MV Pride of Calais were originally ordered by Townsend Thoresen as purpose-built vessels for the Dover – Calais route. Following the purchase of Townsend Thoresen during construction, they were delivered to P&O European Ferries in 1987 and began operating soon after. They were built by Schichau Unterweser in Bremen-Vegesack, Germany.
Pride of Burgundy, Pride of Canterbury and Pride of Kent were originally ordered as three of four freight vesselss for the Dover – Zeebrugge route with the names European Causeway, European Pathway and European Highway respectively. The Pride of Burgundy was converted mid-construction and entered service in 1993. The European Pathway, European Highway and the fourth vessel European Seaway were completed and entered service with the Dover – Zeebrugge route.
Following the closure of the Dover – Zeebrugge route in 2002, European Pathway and European Highway returned to their builders and were converted to full passenger mode, eventually re-entering service as the Pride of Canterbury and the Pride of Kent. The fourth vessel, European Seaway was transferred to the Dover – Calais route in early 2005 where she still operates as a freight-only replacement to Pride of Provence.
Two other ships, Pride of Aquitaine and the Pride of Provence were withdrawn from service as part of the review of P&O Ferries operations announced in September 2004.
On December 17 2007 the Dover fleet was joined by the European Endeavour, a new freight ferry to complement the European Seaway. This ship previously saw service at Dover with Norfolkline as the Midnight Merchant.
It was announced on 8 August 2008 that P&O Ferries had placed an €360 million order with STX Europe for two new ships to replace the Pride of Dover and Pride of Calais. The new ships will be 49,000 gross tonnes and 210 metres in length making them the largest ferries on the English Channel. They will also be the first ships in the world to comply with the new SOLAS "Safe Return to Port" requirements.[1] The first of the new ships is scheduled to be delivered in December 2010 and the second in September 2011.The construction of the first vessel began on 3 March 2009 at STX Europe's shipyard in Rauma, Finland.
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