Roy Thornton Collection Steel twin screw motor vessel, built by Schichau Seebeckwerft AG, Bremerhaven ,(Yard No. 1075) Germany for P & O European Ferries (managed by Sutton Ltd) in 1991 as a commercial vehicle ferry. Engined by Sulzer Bros. Ltd., Winterthur. Launched April, 20 th, 1991.
 Technical Data
MMSI Number - 232001040 IMO Number - 9007283 Length - 179.70 m (overall) Breadth of hull - 28.30 m (extreme) Draught - 6.27 m (maximum) Tonnage - 22,986 gross 6,895 net 7,432 deadweight Engines - Four 8ZA 40 S Sulzer Diesels Capacity - 200 passengers, 124 x 15m freight units Call Sign - MPDG3
History October 15th 1990: Keel laid. October 2nd, 1991: Delivered to P&O European Ferries. October 3rd1991: Arrived at Dover.
 Maiden Arrival © Ken Larwood
October 7th 1991: Commenced service between Dover - Zeebrugge.
© Brian Pawley
December 4th 1991: All time record of freight was carried on the Zeebrugge route, with 1,079 trucks being carried on a single day. On the 20.30 sailing from Dover, the EUROPEAN SEAWAY carried 124 trucks. The previous record was 1,045 vehicles carried on 30th January 1990.
© Andreas Wörteler
P & O Stena Line was a British private sector company, 60% owned by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and 40% owned by Stena Line AB of Sweden. The new company took over the Dover and Newhaven services of P & O European Ferries and Stena Line in March 1998. March 3rd 1998: All vessels operate rated under the P & OSL banner. EUROPEAN SEAWAY continued on the Dover - Zeebrugge route
 
© Andreas Wörteler (left) and Douglas Cromby (right)
2 002:The P & O Stena combine ended 2002. The Dover-Calais fleet adopted the appropriate P & O “Pride of ….” names, the P & OSL labels being dropped….All vessels had their Stena house flag removed from their funnel, along with the deletion of the name Stena from their hulls. October 15th 2002: EUROPEAN SEAWAY continued on the Dover - Zeebrugge route. 2003: The Zeebrugge service ended and she operated between Dover and Calais in a freight only capacity.
© Nigel Thornton
November 18th 2003: P & O announced cut backs on Dover - Calais sailings with the loss of EUROPEAN SEAWAY. December 1st - December 20th 2003: Annual refit at A & P Falmouth January 1st 2004: Laid-up at Falmouth. Rumoured inspected by Italian ship owners. June 10th 2004: Arrived at A&P Birkenhead. Although the vessel was sale -listed there was some possibility she would return to Dover in 2005 if a suitable buyer had not come forward.
© Trevor Kidd (Larne Ferry Web)
December 29th 2004: Left A&P Birkenhead with the help of Adsteam tugs TRAFALGAR and
GLADSTONE. Due to start again with the 10.40 from Calais on 03/01/2005. January 3rd 2005: Re-introduced into service between Dover -Calais March 12th 2005: From P & O: Mon 14th Mar Dover to Zeebrugge: 1500. Zeebrugge to Dover: 2200.
Tues 15th Mar Dover to Zeebrugge: 0300, 1500. Zeebrugge to Dover: 2200, 1000.
Wed 16th Mar Dover to Zeebrugge: 0300,1100,1500. Zeebrugge to Dover: 1000,1800,2200 . Thereafter reverting to Dover - Calais
© Nigel Thornton
February 9th 2006: “The European Seaway will be withdrawn from service on 15th February for annual refit. The vessel is due to resume service on 2nd March. During this period we will be unable to carry any cargo which is restricted to a Limited Passenger Vessel.” February 15th 2006: Refit at Falmouth.
  © Stéphane Poulain
March 3rd 2006: Back in service at Dover
 
© Nigel Thornton
 
© Ray Goodfellow
December 2006: After Christmas laid up at the Eastern Docks due to a seasonal downturn in freight traffic.
© Nigel Thornton
January 2007: Back in service Dover - Calais.
 
Showing her P&O Stena Line heritage below her Port bridge wing. © Cedric Hacke
8th- 24th February 2007: Annual overhaul at A&P Falmouth.
© Charlie Chambers
25th February 2007: Back in service. Late February 2007: Following her refit it was found that there was a major fault with engine number four. She served all Summer on only three engines and she is due to step down from service for repairs in October 2007 when she is replaced by the European Endeavour (ex Midnight Merchant). December 22nd 2007: Arrived in Falmouth for refit and extensive engine rebuild/repairs. January 8th 2008: Left Falmouth and returned to Dover.
© Charlie Chambers
January 9th 2008: Resumed service.
© "France"
December 29th 2008: After Christmas day lay-up at Cruise Terminal 2, sailed to Portland for underwater video inspection of her hull in lieu of refit. December 30th 2008: Returned to Dover. February 9th 2009: Due to poor underwater visibility at Portland to ARNO, Dunkerque for hull inspection. February 11th 2009: Resumed. June 27th 2009: Off service with damage to her “aft catch leading edge”
June 29th 2009: Resumed service. 16th October 2009: Carried out berthing trials at the new `Hub' port in Boulogne. P&O denied any rumours that they were going to commence a service to Boulogne and stated that the trials were carried out to ascertain if there vessels could dock in Boulogne in the event of Calais being closed.
  
Hub Terminal Boulogne © Jean-Guy Hagelstein
December 15th 2009: Due at ARNO, Dunkerque.
 
 
© Francois Longuet
December 28th 2009: Left ARNO and returned to Dover.
© Robert Fournier  Back to P&P Home
| 
