UK vessel operator P&O Ferries has formally named the second unit in a series of two hybrid electric Ro-Pax ferries that will serve the company's Dover-Calais route. P&O Liberte is a sister of P&O Pioneer, which was delivered to the company in 2023 following completion at China's CSSC Offshore and Marine Engineering Company (COMEC). Design work was provided by OSK Design of Denmark.
The 230-metre-long, double-ended ferry arrived in the UK earlier in March and has since begun operating on the English Channel. Like its sister, it has a gross tonnage of 47,394 and capacity for 1,350 passengers and up to 3,600 lane metres of freight with 800 lane metres allotted for passenger-driven vehicles.
Four diesel generators and an 8.8MWh battery pack comprise a hybrid electric propulsion system that drives four ABB 7.5MW azimuthing podded thrusters to deliver a maximum speed of 22 knots and a service speed of 20.8 knots while ensuring a 40 per cent reduction in fuel consumption. ABB also supplied the vessel's intelligent manoeuvring and control system to enable safer and more efficient operations by automating some navigational tasks, allowing the crew in either wheelhouse to focus on optimising overall ship control and positioning.
The ferry will operate purely on batteries when entering and leaving port and while at berth with the generators being used for charging. However, when the necessary shore charging infrastructure becomes available, the propulsion system can be upgraded through the replacement of the generators with additional batteries to allow fully-electric operation even during cross-channel sailings.
The passenger facilities cover more than 9,300 square metres and include lounges, duty-free shops, regular toilets, toilets for people with limited mobility, restaurants, bars, a gym, and a children's play area. The five lifts and the passenger seating areas are all wheelchair-accessible.
