P&O Ferries is currently trialing its second new €180 million ship, Spirit of France, which recently arrived at Dover following a four-day delivery voyage from her construction shipyard at Rauma, Finland. The ship will enter into service on the Dover – Calais route from Thursday 9th February.
At more than 47,000 gross tons and 213 metres in length, Spirit of France, and sister ship Spirit of Britain, which began service last year, are the largest ferries ever built for the Dover Strait. Their combined cost of €360 million is the largest investment ever made by P&O Ferries.
P&O Ferries operates 22 ships on routes to Northern Ireland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium and France, carrying more than nine million passengers, more than one and a half million cars and two million trucks a year.
Spirit of France
Gross tonnage: 47,592 tons
Length: 213m
Beam: 31.43m
Number of decks: 12
Capacity: 170 x 15m lorries + 195 cars (or 1,000 cars); 2,000 passengers
