Pride of Calais

Pride of Calais

11th April 1987 Launched.
27th November 1987 Delivered to P&O Ferries, Dover.
28th November 1987 Left builders yard for Dover.
29th November 1987 Arrived in Dover for the first time.
4th December 1987 Maiden voyage from Dover to Calais.
14th December 1987 Commenced full time operations between Dover and Calais.
December 1998 Renamed P&OSL Calais following the merger agreement earlier in the year between P&O Ferries and Stena Line.

P&OSL Calais

16th July 2002 Grounded in Calais. Going astern from berth 8 the ship grounded and was out of service for 9 days with a damaged rudder.
15th October 2002 Renamed PO Calais following the termination of the agreement with Stena Line.
PO Calais
February 2003 Renamed back to Pride of Calais.

Pride of Calais

March 2004 During refit the ship had the bridge wings enclosed, as built the ship had open bridge wings so the crew and controls were open to the elements during berthing maneuvers.
21st February 2006 Suffered a machinery failure whilst berthed in Dover resulting in a collapsed gangway.
14th February 2007 Suffered serious technical problems which resulted in an emergency dry docking.
16th February 2007 Arrived in Belfast and entered Harland and Wolff's dockyard with the reason given as being "Vessel to proceed directly to nominated dry dock facility to examine and deal with damaged forward rudder skeg iwo frames 229-230". Spent two days in Dry Dock before returning to Dover.
13th June 2008 P&O announced the retirement of the ship following the entry into service of the 2nd new build - "Spirit of France" in September 2011.
23rd October 2011 Following the delay in delivery of the "Spirit of France" the ship was still in service and suffered a power failure on approach to berth 5 in Calais. As a result of heavy contact with the berth the ship received slight damage to the ship. Repairs were carried out in Dover.
25th October 2011 Owing to strike action by SeaFrance the ship was pressed back into service before repairs were complete. As the bow door could not be used the ship operated a bespoke timetable as a stern loading ship.
9th February 2012 Replaced in service by the "Spirit of France", the "Pride of Calais" standing down from full time service and operated in freight only mode covering the refit of the "European Seaway".
20th February 2012 Back in full passenger service once again for two weeks covering the refit of the "Pride of Kent" after which a very basic dry docking was undertaken.
31st March 2012 Back in full passenger service this time covering for the refit of the "Spirit of Britain".
18th October 2012 After operating over the summer in freight only mode the announcement came that the ship was to finally be withdrawn.
20th October 2012 Departed Dover at 11:30 for her final commercial crossing to Calais, returning with the 13:50 (local time) sailing from Calais.
23rd October 2012 Departed Dover in thick fog at 10:35 bound for Tilbury and layup arriving at 17:05.
19th December 2012 Departed Tilbury for Ostend on a 3 year charter to TransEuropaFerries and renamed "Ostend Spirit"

Ostend Spirit

1st February 2013 First commercial arrival in Ramsgate.
18th April 2013 Departed Ramsgate at 08:30 for Tilbury and layup. Repossessed by P&O Ferries for non-payment of charter fees.
30th October 2013 Departed Tilbury in the early evening for Aliaga, Turkey. Upon arrival the ship was to be beached and broken up for recycling.
13th November 2013 Beached at 12:00GMT with her AIS Transponder showing a destination of "Nirvana"