Farewell to Pride of Calais
The Pride of Calais was a cross-channel ferry owned by P&O Ferries. She operated the Dover - Calais route between 1987 and 2012. In early 2013, under bareboat charter to TransEuropa Ferries, she served on their Ramsgate - Ostend route and was re-named Ostend Spirit. However the charter was cut short after TransEuropa Ferries announced Bankrupt in April 2013. After further lay-up in Tilbury she was sold for demolition in Turkey. She departed Tilbury on 30th October, under her own power, for the scrap yards in Aliaga, Turkey.
The Pride of Calais was originally built for and designed by Townsend Thoresen but following their rebranding process in 1987 she was delivered to P&O European Ferries. Her sister the Pride of Dover was scarped in the same place less than a year ago following the two new "Spirit" sisters built for P&O Ferries for their new era in 2011/12.
She was originally called Pride of Calais until 1999 when P&O European Ferries teamed up with Stena Line to form P&O Stena Line which resulted in the Pride of Calais being named P&OSL Calais, the joint venture ended in 2004 and the ship was renamed PO Calais. The new P&O Ferries started later that year and the Pride of Calais was given her name back. While on her charter to TransEuropa she was renamed Ostend Spirit.
She is currently on her final voyage and we will keep you updated on the whole scraping process.
