MS Pride of Kent

Pride of Kent approaching Calais
History
Name:
  • 1992-2003: European Highway
  • 2003-present: Pride of Kent
Owner:
  • 1992-2002: P&O European Ferries (Dover) Ltd
  • 2002-present: P & O Ferries Ltd
Operator: P&O Ferries
Port of registry: Dover,  United Kingdom
Route:
Builder: Schichau Unterweser AG, Germany
Yard number: 1073
Launched: 14 December 1991
Completed: 12 June 1992
Maiden voyage: 16 June 1992
Identification: IMO number: 9015266
Status: In Service
General characteristics
Tonnage:
  • 1992-2002: 22,986 tonnes
  • 2003 onwards: 30,365tonnes
Length: 179.7 m (589.6 ft)
Beam: 28.3 m (92.8 ft)
Draft: 6.27 m (20.6 ft)
Installed power: 4 x Sulzer 8ZA40S Diesels
Propulsion: Two controllable pitch propellers
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity:
  • 1992-2002: 200 passengers
  • 124 15m freight vehicles
  • 2003 onwards: 2,000 passengers
  • 650 passenger vehicles or 120 15m freight vehicles

MS Pride of Kent is a cross-channel ferry operated by P&O Ferries, which since 2003 has operated on the Dover to Calais route. Before that, between 1992 and 2002, it had operated on the Dover to Zeebrugge route.

History

Colloquially known as Kent, she was built as European Highway in 1991, a sister ship to Pride of Canterbury, and European Seaway. Originally servicing Zeebrugge, like Pride of Canterbury, she was converted in 2003 before re-entering service on the Dover–Calais route as Pride of Kent.

She is the second ship to bear the name — MS Spirit of Free Enterprise was the first (she was renamed Pride of Kent in 1987, later P&OSL Kent in 1998 and PO Kent in 2002) and continued to sail the Dover-Calais route until 2003.[1]

On 10 December 2017, the vessel ran aground in the Port of Calais during routine departure manoeuvres in high winds. The vessel was refloated at high tide with assistance from harbour tugs commandeered from the Port of Dunkirk. On 12 December 2017, the vessel made her way to Dunkirk for an emergency dry docking. She has damaged a shaft seal and gearbox, her return to service date is unknown.

Project Darwin

With the ending of the P&O Stena Line agreement, newly formed P&O Ferries announced that the ex Zeebrügge freight vessels European Highway and European Pathway would be rebuilt at the German Shipyard of Lloyd Werft. On completion of their rebuilds, they would be placed on the premier Dover-Calais service, replacing PO Kent (ex-Spirit of Free Enterprise, Pride of Kent, then POSL Kent) and PO Canterbury (ex-Stena Fantasia). This move became widely known by its P&O in-house code name, Project Darwin. Key features of the converted ships were:

  • Passenger capacity up from 200 to 2,000
  • More than 5,000 square metres of passenger accommodation
  • Fifty extra crew cabins
  • Better manoeuvrability

European Pathway was to leave for Bremerhaven on 1 December 2002, followed later in the month by European Highway. The rebuilt ferries were to enter service in April and May 2003 respectively.

Layout

Pride of Kent has six 'active' decks - cardeck 3 freight and cars, cardeck 5 freight and cars, cardeck 6 cars only, deck 7 & 8 passenger facilities and deck 9 outside deck area. The ship is both divided vertically (as decks) and horizontally, into 3 ventilation zones, with stairs assigned the colours red, yellow, orange, green and blue. There are three passenger lifts from the main and car decks to the passenger facilities. Her onboard facilities include (amongst others) several lounges, a self-service cafeteria "The Food Court" (the former company branding for this facility was 'International Food Court'), 2 'Costa Coffee' cafés (one previously operated as Cafe Olliveto's until 2004), a Langan's Brasserie restaurant, a French duty-paid shop ("Offshore Shopping") and a bar previously branded as "Silverstones Sports Bar". There are also open decks on levels 8 and 9. Since June 2006, the interior passenger accommodation has become non-smoking throughout, with smoking permitted in designated parts of the outside deck 9 only.

Sister ships

Pride of Kent docked at Calais

As built, Pride of Kent was identical to European Seaway and European Pathway. The fourth 'European Class' freight ferry was converted to a multi-purpose vessel for the Dover-Calais route and named MS Pride of Burgundy, though she still retained a number of similarities. Following conversion to multi-purpose ship Pride of Kent is nearly identical to the MS Pride of Canterbury.[2]


Pride of Kent and Pride of Canterbury are commonly known as the 'Darwin Twins' or 'Darwins' after the project name given by P&O to the conversion of the ships.[3]

Accident

On Sunday, 10 December 2017, the vessel ran aground whilst manoeuvring for departure from the Port of Calais. No one has been reported injured. [4] P&O reported Calais as closed Via Twitter [5]

On 12 December 2017, the vessel departed for emergency dry docking in Dunkirk, she sailed under her own power. On assessment she was found to have damaged propellor hubs, tail shafts, a gearbox, steering gear and rudders.

Her estimated return to service is late April 2018 after undergoing a life extension refit in Dunkirk.

References

  1. ↑ P&O Ferry Enthusiasts - Pride of Kent Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ Dover Ferry Photos - Pride of Kent Archived 21 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ HHV Ferry - P&O's Darwins
  4. ↑ Rogers, Jon (10 December 2017). "FERRY CRASH: Ship carrying 300 passengers bound for Dover smashes into port of Calais". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  5. ↑ Updates, P&O Ferries (10 December 2017). "#POCalais : The Port of Calais is currently closed - our sailings are subject to delays. Please check in as per your original sailing time and you will be accommodated on the first available sailing". @POferriesupdate. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
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