Work begins on new ships for P&O Ferries

Shipbuilding company STX Europe has announced that it has started work on the first of two "huge" vessels that will be delivered to P&O Ferries in 2010 and 2011.

When it is brought into service on the Dover to Calais ferry crossing, the ship will officially become the largest car ferry in the English Channel, weighing 49,000 gross tonnes and measuring 210 metres in length.

The vessel will have the capacity to hold up to 1,750 passengers, as well as 195 tourist vehicles and 180 freight carriers.

It will also be the first passenger ferry to comply with new rules being enforced by the International Maritime Organisation, which will apply to vessels built after July 1st 2010.

These regulations require ships to be able to provide basic services to passengers in the event of an accident and have the necessary systems to ensure a safe return to port.

STX Europe also revealed that the new P&O Ferries vessels are being built with the environment in mind, with a "hydro-dynamically efficient" hull to minimise fuel consumption.

The shipbuilding company delivered the car-passenger ferry Armorique to Brittany Ferries earlier this year, a vessel that was designed specifically for use on the sea route from Plymouth to Roscoff.