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P&O Ferries charters bigger ships for Belgium route

[ August 27, 2024   //   ]

P&O Ferries has taken out a long-term charter for a larger vessel for its Tilbury/Zeebrugge route. At 4,076 lane meters and with space for 346 freight units, the Longstone’s capacity is over 50% greater than existing vessels. P&O Ferries will also add the Longstone’s sister vessel to its fleet in late 2025. 

The operator has also has expanded its rail handling service in Zeebrugge with new intermodal services to/from Germany and Central Europe.

Chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite said: “We are expanding our North Sea network in response to the demand from our customers. This long-term investment is just the first step of our expansion plan for this network. It is about having the right tonnage, underpinned by effective rail handling, to allow our customers to plan new opportunities. Boosting capacity on our routes between Tilbury and the continent of Europe is what our customers need, and will give them even greater direct access to London and its transport connections.

“The efficiency and capacity of the Longstone vessel, along with integrated rail services will also help cut the carbon emissions associated with freight movements and reduce road congestion around ports and in the wider catchment area. 

 “We will deliver significant growth of unaccompanied transportation on the North Sea by offering our customers scalable capacity and the right service package in ports and on our ferries. This contributes directly to the end-to-end logistics service offered by our parent company, DP World.”

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