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Larger ferries to service Dover to Calais route

Ferry Online Travel News 11/08/2008

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P&O Ferries has contracted for two of the largest ferries ever built for the Dover-Calais route at a price tag of £282m.

The first of these new vessels to be built for P&O Ferries by Aker Shipyards of Finland will be put into service in December of 2010 and the other by September of the following year. The will replace the Pride of Calais and the Pride of Dover.

P&O Ferries has also taken options on contracts for two additional ships of the same design.

Weighing 49,000 gross tonnes and measuring 210 metres in length, the ferries are the largest size that can be accommodated by existing facilities at Channel ports, and will be the first designed with the capability of manoeuvring in 50 knot winds, using their own power.

The ferries will have the capacity to carry 180 freight vehicles, which more than doubles the capacity of the vessels they will replace. Additionally, they will feature a third deck that will be capable of carrying 195 tourist vehicles. They will also have a passenger capacity of 2,000.

The chairman of P&O Ferries, Robert Woods said: "These ships will be as environmentally friendly as possible."

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