FerriesP&O FerriesPast and Present

MV P&O Pioneer – Past and Present

IMO Number: 9895161

MV P&O Pioneer

ex Guangzhou 19121007

© Ray Goodfellow (Dover 06/06/23)

© Ray Goodfellow (Dover 06/06/23)

Steel 4 x Azipod “Double-Ended” “Fusion Class” motor vessel built in 2022 by Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), Guangzhou, China (Yard No 19121007) as a RoPax Ferry for P&O Ferries, Dover, United Kingdom.

Technical Data

  • Length: 230.5 m (overall) m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 30.8 m
  • Depth: m
  • Draught: m
  • Tonnage: 47394 gross/ net/11500t deadweight
  • Engines: 4 x Wärtsilä 16v31 Marine Diesel Engines fitted with ABB turbochargers and Wärtsilä AI technology
  • Propulsion: 4 x 7.5MW ABB DO1600 Azipods
  • Power: kW/HP
  • Speed: 20.8 knots
  • Capacity: 1500 passengers/2800 lane metres for commercial traffic/800 lane metres for cars/3600 lane metres total
  • Call Sign: 5BYK5
  • MMSI Number: 210385000
  • IMO Number: 9895161
  • Official Number:
  • Port of Registry: Limassol/Cyprus 🇨🇾
  • Sister-Ship: P&O Liberte (IMO: 9895172) (Yard Number: 19121007)


Current AIS Location


Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.


History

September 26th 2019: Contract signed “First of a pair of double-ender ferries ordered, for P&O Ferries, at a joint cost of €260m. Designed by OSK-ShipTech & SinoDane and built by Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI), Guangzhou China”.

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries

Large British Ferry Order Placed

26th September 2019

British shipping company P&O Ferries has ordered two large RoRo ferries for 1,500 passengers from Chinese Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) for sailings between Dover and Calais. The order is worth a total of about 260 million euros. P&O Ferries, a subsidiary of Dubai’s DP World, has options for two more vessels.

The first two ferries will be delivered in 2023 and the optioned vessels in 2024. The ferries will be among the largest ever to sail between Dover and Calais, and will be of the double-ended type. Using the double-ender concept and the diesel-electric propulsion plant means that fuel consumption will be reduced by about one tonne per channel transit. It is understood that the ships will not be scrubber-equipped and the otherwise empty spaces below the main vehicle deck will be filled with large battery packs. Another reduction in fuel consumption and carbon footprint will come from a heat recovery system, so the total fuel consumption is expected to be reduced by 40%.

The ships are capable of additional changes to become carbon neutral provided extra battery capacity will be installed and plug-in electricity loading facilities are available in both Dover and Calais. To achieve the typical fast port turnarounds that apply for Dover-Calais ferries, the separate freight and car intake of the Spirit Class has been retained. The main deck and upper freight deck have a combined capacity of some 2,800 freight lane metres, while about 200 cars can be parked on the separate upper vehicle deck which will have sufficient deck height to stow vans.

The overall length has been increased to 230m from the 213m for the previous Spirit Class ferries. A power management system will use innovative software to turn off the lighting and ventilation in empty areas, further optimising the utilization of engines, batteries and energy recovered from waste heat. The ship’s concept design has been provided by OSK ShipTech which has close ties with builders GSI through the SinoDane joint venture.

Guangzhou Shipyard International Co Ltd, Longxue Island, Nansha District, Guangzhou, China

Source: New Ships

P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries

October 15th 2020: First steel cut.

P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries

December 21st 2020: Laid down.


Construction

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries

January 2nd 2022: Floated out.


Launch

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI)

P&O Ferries & Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) (as indicated)

Fitting Out

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries  P&O Ferries

 P&O Ferries

September 23rd 2022: Left Nansha Port and conducted sea trials.

September 27th 2022: Returned to Nansha.

November 13th 2022: Further sea trials.

Internet Source Internet Source Internet Source Internet Source Internet Source 

Internet Source

December 24th 2022: Moved from Nansha to Nansha Passenger Port.

Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) © Simon Moore

Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) and © Simon Moore

December 24th 2022: Left Nansha Passenger Port for further sea trials.

January 8th 2023: Returned to Nansha Passenger Port

© Simon Moore

© Simon Moore

P & O

🆕 Link to “Welcome to P&O Pioneer”

February 28th 2023: Delivered to P O Ferries.

Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI)

Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI)

March 3rd 2023: Left Nansha Passenger Port showing destination as Singapore (eta 08/03/2023)

March 7th 2023: Arrived Singapore Anchorage.

March 7th 2023: Left Singapore Anchorage showing destination as Colombo, Sri Lanka  (eta 11/03/2023)

March 11th 2023: Arrived Colombo.

March 12th 2023: Left Colombo showing destination as Suez (eta 20/03/2023).

March 20th 2023: Arrived Suez Port Anchorage.

March 21st 2023: Entered Great Bitter Lake (Suez Canal) showing destination as Limassol (eta 22/03/2023)

March 22nd 2023: Arrived Limassol for bunkering.

P&O Ferries P&O Ferries

P&O Ferries

March 22nd 2023: Left Limassol showing destination as Gibraltar (eta 26/03/2023).

March 27th 2023: Called at Gibraltar Anchorage before continuing (showing destination as Dover, eta 31/03/2023).

© Daniel Ferro, John Isola and Dover Strait Shipping © Daniel Ferro, John Isola and Dover Strait Shipping © Daniel Ferro, John Isola and Dover Strait Shipping

© Daniel Ferro, John Isola and Dover Strait Shipping (Where noted)

Shipping Forecast 30/03/2023 Shipping Forecast 30/03/2023

Shipping Forecast 30/03/2023 (Gales 31/03/2023!!!!)

March 30th 2023: Sheltered in Poole Bay on DP (Dynamic Positioning).

April 1st 2023: Left Poole Bay showing destination as Nab Anchorage (eta 01/04/2023).

© Andrew Cooke © Andrew Cooke

© Andrew Cooke (Sandown Bay, 01/04/2023)(both)

April 2nd 2023: Left Sandown Bay, now showing destination as Dunkerque.

April 3rd 2023: Arrived Dunkerque Anchorage.

April 4th 2023: Arrived Dunkerque (East).

© Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier

© Julien Carpentier  (Dunkerque, 04/04/2023)

© Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier

© Julien Carpentier  (Dunkerque, 14/04/2023)

© Darren Holdaway  © Darren Holdaway 

© Darren Holdaway (Dunkerque, 20/04/2023)

April 26th 2023: Media circulation suggests:

Update from P&O Pioneer, ship still in Dunkerque, waiting for a new lifeboat from China. 

As a result, its first trials in Calais will take place between 5 and 18 June 2023, for a first commercial service on 19 June, so KENT will resume service from 1 May to 4 June 2023, before its final withdrawal from the line.”

June 4th 2023: Departed Dunkerque for Calais.

June 4th 2023: Arrived in Calais and conducted trials.

© A2B via Sea © A2B via Sea

© A2B via Sea (Calais, 04/06/2023)

© Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier

© Julien Carpentier (Calais, 04/06/2023)

June 5th 2023 (08.00 hrs): Arrived in Dover for trials.

© Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite © Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite

© Dover Strait Shipping/ Fotoflite (Dover, 05/06/2023)

June 6th 2023: Arrived Dunkerque Anchorage.

June 7th 2023: Arrived Calais for further trials.

June 7th 2023: Dover for further trials.

June 10th 2023: Daily trials continue.

June 19th 2023: Entered full service Dover – Calais.

© Stephane Vancutsem © Stephane Vancutsem © Stephane Vancutsem © Stephane Vancutsem © Stephane Vancutsem 

© Stephane Vancutsem (Calais. Maiden commercial arrival and departure. 19/06/2023)

Interior

© George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland                                                         © George Holland © George Holland © George Holland

© George Holland

July 9th 2023: Came off service at Dover with “technical issues”.

July 11th 2023: Resumed service Dover – Calais.

July 26th 2023: Officially christened in Dover.

© Philippe Holthof © Philippe Holthof

© Philippe Holthof (Dover, 26/07/2023)

© Julien Carpentier © Julien Carpentier

© Julien Carpentier (Calais, 21/11/2023)

February 18th 2024: Came off service at Calais.

February 20th 2024: Left Calais for Antwerp.

February 21st 2024: Arrived Antwerp for refit.

February 28th 2024: Left Antwerp for Calais.

February 29th 2024: Arrived Calais and resumed service.

March 15th 2024: Came off service at Calais for maintenance.

 © Stephane Vancutsem

🆕 © Stephane Vancutsem (Calais. 16/03/2024)

All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: A2B via Sea, Julien Carpentier, Andrew Cooke, Dover Strait Shipping, Daniel Ferro, Fotoflite, Darren Holdaway, George Holland, Philippe Holthof, John Isola, Nigel Scutt and Stephane Vancutsem for their assistance in producing this feature.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

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