Two new ferries ordered today by P&O will be the largest ships ever built for the Dover-Calais service. They will be 210m long and will be the first Channel ferries designed to manoeuvre under their own power in 50-knot winds.

Two existing ferries on the route will be replaced by the new ships which will be capable of carrying 2,000 passengers plus a greatly increased number of trailers and cars. The 49,000-tonne ships will be built in Finland and will enter service in December 2010 and September 2011.