The largest short crossing Channel ferry ‘Spirit of Britain’ built by STX Europe’s Rauma shipyard in Finland has been delivered to P&O (5 January).

The £150million ship will carry 2,000 passengers and has room for 195 passenger cars and 180 trucks.

A sister ship, the Spirit of France, will be delivered in September from the same shipyard in Rauma, south-western Finland.

The 11-deck Spirit of Britain, spanning 700 feet from bow to stern, was built with special attention to the environment and energy efficiency.

The Spirit of Britain

The streamlined hull design reduces fuel consumption by 50 percent compared to current ferries half its size plying between England and France, the shipbuilder said.

Timo Suistio, head of the shipbuilder's Rauma yard said: "P&O Ferries now has a very efficient and powerful vessel for its Dover to Calais route"

The Spirit of Britain will enter service on the Dover-Calais route later this month, replacing the Pride of Dover. .