P&O Ferries to scrap Spanish Service

P&O Ferries to scrap Spanish Service

P&O Ferries has decided to scrap its unprofitable Portsmouth-Bilbao route at the end of September this year, when the charter of ro-ro Pride of Bilbao expires. Chief executive Helen Deeble said: “We have examined every option very carefully and have been trying for more than three years to find a suitable replacement ship in order to continue the service profitably. Pride of Bilbao has served us well but is now an old ship nearing the end of her commercial life and needs to be replaced. However, we have reached the sad conclusion that such a replacement vessel is not currently available and as this loss-making route is unable to fund the cost of a new purpose-built ship we have no alternative other than to close it.”

Pride of Bilbao is owned by Irish Continental Group ferry division Irish Ferries. The vessel was built in 1986 at the Wärtsilä shipyard in Turku, Finland for Rederi AB Slite, under the original name Olympia. A major refit took place in 2002.

A spokesman for Portsmouth Commercial Port said: “Following Brittany Ferries’ announcement in January this year that it will triple the frequency of its Portsmouth to Santander sailings in 2010, from one to three times a week, Portsmouth will continue to offer a comprehensive Spanish service to its customers.”