P&O FERRIES: first of two double-ended Ferries for Dover-Calais service completed sea trials
c: GSI Shipyard
The first of P&O Ferries' giant double-ended ferries for the Dover-Calais route has been tested at sea.
The 47,394 GT P&O PIONEER is expected to enter service in the first quarter of 2023, while her sister P&O LIBERTÈ will follow in the fourth quarter. Both will be built at the Chinese GSI shipyard.
Designed by Danish company OSK ShipTech, the 230.5 x 30.8 m RoPax vehicles can carry 1,500 passengers and 2,658 meters of cargo.
Both ships will be the largest ferries ever to operate between Dover and Calais and their double-ended design will ensure faster turnaround times in both ports as they will feature two main bridges at each end of each ship.
Both ships will be built at a cost of €254 million and P&O Ferries has an option on two more ships with Guangzhou Shipyard International.
P&O PIONEER and P&O LIBERTÈ will feature a diesel-battery hybrid propulsion system consisting of four Wärtsilä 16V31 diesel engines, each powering an ABB Azipod DO1600 pod propulsion unit, and 8.8 MWh batteries powered by XALT Energy, a subsidiary of the Freundeberg Group. The ferry has an operating speed of 20.8 knots.
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