P&O Stena Line
This page is devoted to postcards of the P&O Stena Line.
An alphabetical list of ships
covered on this page is shown below.
The Table
beneath gives links to complete postcard history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table are official
postcards of the fleet
in alphabetical order, followed by a number of multi-view
Fleet Postcards
.
P&O Stena Line was formed in 1998 from the Dover and Newhaven fleets of P&O European Ferries and Stena Line. P&O have a 60% interest in the combined company, and Stena have 40%. The joint fleets were repainted fairly quickly, whilst initially retaining their original names. Postcards were issued of the fleet in this condition with new colours and original names (the
Stena
prefix was omitted on the cards of the Stena ships, although I presume the actual names were not changed at this stage). In 1999, all remaining ships received new names with a POSL prefix, and the cards were reprinted with the new names. I have not yet found an official card of
POSL Aquitaine
- the card of
POSL Provence
being generally available on board. The Newhaven-Dieppe route was only operated in 1998; the service passed to Hoverspeed in 1999 (Hoverspeed owns Sea Containers who also owned Newhaven Port).
In April 2002, P&O announced its intention to buy out the 40% stake in P&O Stena Line owned by Stena. P&O also indicated that the Doer-Zeebrugge service would cease. The buy-out occurred in August 2002, and the subsequent history of Dover services under the P&O banner is dealt with
on this link
.
Ships on This Page:-
Elite
Empereur
European Pathway
Fantasia
POSL Aquitaine
POSL Burgundy
POSL Calais
POSL Canterbury
POSL Dover
POSL Kent
POSL Picardy
POSL Provence
P&O Stena Elite
Pride of Bruges
Pride of Burgundy
Pride of Calais
Pride of Dover
Pride of Kent
Stena Cambria
Stena Empereur
Stena Fantasia
Stena Royal
Associated Pages:-
P&O Ferries
- P&O Ferries header page
P&O Dover
- P&O Ferries' Dover services after 2002
Stena Line
- Stena Line header page
Ferry Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
POSL Aquitaine
- to be added
Stena Royal, Prins Filip
1991
POSL Canterbury
Scandinavia,
Tzarevetz,
Fantasia, Stena Fantasia, etc
1980
P&O Stena Line Fleet List
European Highway
European Pathway
European Seaway
Three ro-ro ferries built for Dover-Zeebrugge service. A fourth ship was completed as passenger ferry
Pride of Burgundy
. P&O Stena Line announced the closure of the Dover-Zeebrugge service in early 2002. The route closed in December 2002, by which time ownership had reverted to
P&O Ferries
.
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
European Pathway.
POSL Aquitaine (ex-Stena Royal)
28838 gross tons - 2000 passengers
Built as
Prins Filip
for the RTM Dover-Oostende service in 1991, although did not enter service until 1992. Withdrawn 1997 when RTM ceased operations. Bought by a Stena Group company in 1998, and chartered to P&O Stena Line as
Stena Royal
for freight operations between Dover and Zeebrugge. Charter extended and renamed
POSL Aquitaine
. In 1999 began to carry passengers again on the Dover-Calais route. Transferred to P&O in August 2002 and renamed
Pride of Aquitaine
. Received new P&O livery for 2003 season. Chartered by P&O from Stena Line until 2005, when due to replaced by newbuilding.
Tropic Postcards
T123 of
Stena Royal
at Zeebrugge on 30/11/98.
Photo: Mike Louagie
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
POSL Aquitaine.
Tropic Postcards
T214 of
POSL Aquitaine
.
Photo: Mike Louagie
Tropic Postcards
T343 of
POSL Aquitaine
, (plus
POSL Kent
)
Photo: Mike Louagie
POSL Burgundy
(ex-Pride of Burgundy)
28138 gross tons - 1420 passengers
Designed for P&O European Ferries as fourth Dover-Zeebrugge freight ferry
European Causeway
, but modified before delivery as Dover-Calais passenger vessel
Pride of Burgundy
in 1993. Transferred to P&O Stena Line in 1998. Renamed
POSL Burgundy
in 1999. Transferred back to P&O in August 2002, and reverted to original name
Pride of Burgundy
. Received new P&O livery for 2003 season.
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
POSL Burgundy.
The same card was probably also issued as
Pride of Burgundy
.
POSL Calais
(ex-Pride of Calais)
26433 gross tons -
2290
passengers
Built for European Ferries as Dover-Calais passenger vessel
Pride of Calais
in 1987. Transferred to P&O Stena Line in 1998. Renamed
POSL Calais
in 1999. Transferred back to P&O in August 2002, renamed
Pride of Calais
. Received new P&O livery for 2003 season.
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
POSL Calais.
The same card was probably also issued as
Pride of Calais
.
POSL Canterbury
(ex-Stena Fantasia)
25122 gross tons - 1800 passengers
Built in 1980 as commercial ferry
Scandinavia
. After various changes of owner and name, sold to Sealink in 1988 and renamed
Fiesta
. Rebuilt in 1990 as Dover-Calais passenger vessel
Fantasia
. Renamed
Stena Fantasia
later in 1990. Transferred to P&O Stena Line in 1998 and known as
Fantasia
. Renamed
POSL Canterbury
in 1999. Transferred to P&O Ferries in August 2002, and renamed
PO Canterbury
. Replaced by "new"
Pride of Canterbury
(ex-
European Highway
) in June 2003. Laid up in May 2003, followed by sale to
GA Ferries
in October 2003. She re-entered service as the
Alkmini A
in June 2004, between Igoumenitsa and Brindisi.
A complete history of this ship is available
on this link
.
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
Fantasia.
The same card has since been issued as
POSL Canterbury
.
POSL Dover
(ex-Pride of Dover)
26433 gross tons - 2290 passengers
Built for
European Ferries
as Dover-Calais passenger vessel
Pride of Dover
in 1987. Transferred to P&O Stena Line in 1998. Renamed
POSL Dover
in 1999. Transferred to P&O in August 2002, and received new P&O livery for the 2003 season. Name reverted to
Pride of Dover
.
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
Pride of Dover.
I presume the same card has since been issued as
POSL Dover
.
POSL Kent
(ex-Pride of Kent)
20446 gross tons - 1825 passengers
Built for
European Ferries
as Dover-Calais passenger vessel
Spirit of Free Enterprise
in 1980, and initially the sister of
POSL Picardy
shown below. Renamed
Pride of Kent
in 1987, and lengthened in 1992 to match the capacity of
Pride of Calais/Dover
. Transferred to P&O Stena Line in 1998. Renamed
POSL Kent
in 1999. Transferred to P&O Ferries in 2002, and renamed
PO Kent.
Replaced by "new"
Pride of Kent
(ex-
European Pathway
) and put up for sale in May 2003.
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
POSL Kent.
The same card was also issued as
Pride of Kent
.
p.oostcards
postcard of
POSL Kent.
Editions Couleur Locale postcard of
POSL Kent
(and
POSL Dover
) at Calais.
POSL Picardy
(ex-Pride of Bruges)
13061 gross tons - 1300 passengers
Built for European Ferries as Dover-Calais passenger vessel
Pride of Free Enterprise
in 1980. Renamed
Pride of Bruges
in 1988. Unlike her sister
Pride of Kent
, she was not lengthened. Transferred to P&O Stena Line in 1998. It was originally intended that
Pride of Bruges
would operate the Newhaven-Dieppe service, but she was initially retained at Dover following the Channel Tunnel fire. Renamed
POSL Picardy
in 1999. Laid up in 2000 and later sold to Transeuropa Ferries, becoming the
Oleander
.
P&O Stena Line official postcard of
POSL Picardy.
The same card was probably also issued as
Pride of Bruges
.
p.oostcards
postcard of
POSL Picardy.
POSL Picardy
as
Oleander
just after delivery to new owners.
Photo: ©Mike Willis
POSL Provence
(ex-Stena Empereur)
28559 gross tons - 2036 passengers
Built in 1983 in Dunkerque as Stena Line's
Stena Jutlandica
for Frederikshavn-Gothenburg service. Transferred to Dover-Calais in 1996 as
Stena Empereur
. Transferred to P&O Stena Line in 1998 and known as
Empereur
. Renamed
POSL Provence
later in 1998. Transferred to P&O Ferries in August 2002 and renamed
Pride of Provence
. Due to replaced by a newbuilding in 2005/6.