The MV European Causeway is a ferry operated by P&O Ferries. She was built at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shimonoseki shipyard in Japan.[1]
The European Causeway
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History | |
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Name | European Causeway [1] |
Owner | P&O Ferries[1] |
Operator |
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Port of registry | Nassau, Bahamas [1] |
Route | Cairnryan-Larne[1] |
Ordered | 1998 |
Builder | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
Yard number | 1065 [1] |
Laid down | 1999 |
Launched | 20 March 2000 [1] |
Completed | 2000 |
In service | August 2000 |
Identification |
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Status | In service |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage | 20,646 GT [1] |
Length | 156.2 m (512.5 ft) [1] |
Beam | 23.4 m (76.8 ft) [1] |
Draught | 5.5 m (18.0 ft) [1] |
Propulsion | 4 x Wärtsilä 12V38 [1] |
Speed | 23 kn (42.6 km/h) [1] |
Capacity |
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Crew | 55 |
European Causeway entered service in August 2000 replacing the Pride of Rathlin.[2] She was specially designed for the Cairnryan-Larne route and has not operated in service away from this route only straying for refit periods.
On 18 December 2018, European Causeway was involved in an incident in extreme weather conditions. After what was described as a "big dip", several lorries toppled sideways causing damage to other vehicles on the car deck. No injuries were reported.[3] The Marine Accident Investigation Branch carried out an investigation. It was concluded that:
In March 2022, the vessel was detained at Larne by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, due to "failures on crew familiarisation, vessel documentation and crew training", after a new crew was installed, following P&O sacking 800 staff.[5]
On the 27th of April 2022, European Causeway suffered a complete power loss just off the coast of Larne. The RNLI dispatched three lifeboats to the vessel's location, a coastguard helicopter was dispatched and the Queen Victoria stood by to assist if required. The ship recovered power after roughly 2 hours adrift and continued the voyage to Larne under her own power, escorted by the lifeboats.[6]
European Causeway does not have an exact sister however P&O ordered two further vessels based on her design:-