Steel cutting starts for largest cross-Channel ferries

Production of the first of the two new 49,000gt ropax designs ordered by P&O Ferries commenced in March, with the cutting of steel plate at STX Europe's yard in Rauma, Finland.

These ships, scheduled for delivery in 2010 and 2011 for the company’s Dover-Calais service, will be largest on this sector. Each will be 210m long and will have 2,700 lane metres of vehicle space, giving room for more than 180 freight vehicles and up to 195 cars, caravans and campers. Each ferry will also be capable of carrying up to 1,750 passengers.

The two newbuildings will be the first passenger ferries in the world to comply with IMO’s Safe Return to Port requirements. They will also be very environment friendly, offering significant advances in fuel efficiency that STX Europe says have been achieved through a refined hydrodynamic hull form that will optimise performance. PST