27th August 2024 – London, UK: P&O Ferries is proud to announce the addition of the Longstone vessel to its fleet, increasing freight capacity on its route between Tilbury near London and its hub at Zeebrugge in Belgium. This ro-ro cargo ship, chartered long term, will enable P&O Ferries to carry more freight on its North Sea network, offering customers greater capacity and flexibility. P&O Ferries will also add the Longstone’s sister vessel to its fleet in late 2025.
The Longstone’s capacity is over 50% greater than P&O Ferries’ existing vessels on the Tilbury-Zeebrugge route. With 4076 lane meters and the ability to carry 346 freight units, the new ship is the first step of P&O Ferries’ demand-led expansion plan for its North Sea Services and is expected to begin service in early September.
To complement this maritime expansion, P&O Ferries – with the support of its customers – has expanded its rail handling service in Zeebrugge with new intermodal services to/from Germany and Central Europe. This substantial boost in capacity for P&O Ferries’ Zeebrugge-Tilbury route, supported by the new rail connections, will facilitate smoother trade flows between the UK and Europe.
“We are expanding our North Sea network in response to the demand from our customers,” said Peter Hebblethwaite, CEO of P&O Ferries. “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.”
