October 15th 1990: Keel laid. October 2nd, 1991: Delivered to P&O European Ferries. October 3rd 1991: Arrived at Dover.
Maiden Arrival at Dover © Ken Larwood
October 7th 1991: Commenced service between Dover - Zeebrugge.
© Brian Pawley
December 4th 1991: All time record of freight was carried on the Zeebrugge route, with 1,079 trucks being carried on a single day. On the 20.30 sailing from Dover, the EUROPEAN SEAWAY carried 124 trucks. The previous record was 1,045 vehicles carried on 30th January 1990.
© Andreas Wörteler
March 3rd 1998: P&O European Ferries and Stena Line merge there operations on the short sea. The new company was called P&O Stena Line. Registered as a British private sector company, 60% owned by the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) and 40% owned by Stena Line AB of Sweden. The new company took over the Dover and Newhaven services of P&O European Ferries and Stena Line.
 
© Andreas Wörteler (left) and Douglas Cromby (right)
April 2002: P&O announced its intention to buy out the 40% stake in P&O Stena Line owned by Stena. August 2002: P&O Stena alliance ended with P&O purchasing Stena's 40% share in the business. All vessels had their Stena house flag removed from their funnels, along with the deletion of the name Stena from their hulls. In future the company would trade as P&O Ferries. October 15th 2002: EUROPEAN SEAWAY continued on the Dover - Zeebrugge route. December 15th 2002: Final voyage between Dover - Zeebrügge. In future she operated between Dover and Calais in a freight only capacity.
© Nigel Thornton
November 18th 2003: P&O announced cut backs on Dover - Calais sailings with the loss of EUROPEAN SEAWAY. December 1st - December 20th 2003: Annual refit at A & P Falmouth January 1st 2004: Laid-up at Falmouth. Rumoured inspected by Italian ship owners. June 10th 2004: Arrived at A&P Birkenhead. Although the vessel was sale -listed there was some possibility she would return to Dover in 2005 if a suitable buyer had not come forward.
© Trevor Kidd (Larne Ferry Web)
December 29th 2004: Left A&P Birkenhead with the help of Adsteam tugs TRAFALGAR and GLADSTONE. Due to start again with the 10.40 from Calais on 03/01/2005. January 3rd 2005: Re-introduced into service between Dover -Calais March 12th 2005: Owing to operational problems following the collapse of Calais berth 7 the Seaway operate a number of trips to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. From P&O Ferries: Mon 14th Mar Dover to Zeebrugge: 1500. Zeebrugge to Dover: 2200.
Tues 15th Mar Dover to Zeebrugge: 0300, 1500. Zeebrugge to Dover: 2200, 1000.
Wed 16th Mar Dover to Zeebrugge: 0300, 1100, 1500. Zeebrugge to Dover: 1000, 1800, 2200 . Thereafter reverting to Dover - Calais
© Nigel Thornton
February 15th 2006: Refit at Falmouth.
  © Stéphane Poulain
March 3rd 2006: Back in service at Dover
 
© Nigel Thornton
December 2006: After Christmas laid up at the Eastern Docks due to a seasonal downturn in freight traffic.
© Nigel Thornton
January 2007: Back in service from Dover to Calais.
 
Showing her P&O Stena Line heritage below her Port bridge wing. © Cedric Hacke
8th- 24th February 2007: Annual overhaul at A&P Falmouth.
© Charlie Chambers
25th February 2007: Back in service. Late February 2007: Following her refit it was found that there was a major fault with engine number four. She served all Summer on only three engines and she is due to step down from service for repairs in October 2007 when she is replaced by the European Endeavour (ex Midnight Merchant). December 22nd 2007: Arrived in Falmouth for refit and extensive engine rebuild/repairs. January 8th 2008: Left Falmouth and returned to Dover.
© Charlie Chambers
January 9th 2008: Resumed service.
© "France"
December 29th 2008: After Christmas day lay-up at Cruise Terminal 2, sailed to Portland for underwater video inspection of her hull in lieu of refit. December 30th 2008: Returned to Dover. February 9th 2009: Due to poor underwater visibility at Portland to ARNO, Dunkerque for hull inspection. February 11th 2009: Resumed. June 27th 2009: Off service with damage to her “aft catch leading edge”
June 29th 2009: Resumed service. 16th October 2009: Carried out berthing trials at the new `Hub' port in Boulogne. P&O denied any rumours that they were going to commence a service to Boulogne and stated that the trials were carried out to ascertain if there vessels could dock in Boulogne in the event of Calais being closed.
  
Hub Terminal Boulogne © Jean-Guy Hagelstein
December 15th 2009: Due at ARNO, Dunkerque.
  
© Francois Longuet
December 28th 2009: Left ARNO and returned to Dover.
© Robert Fournier
August 1st 2010: Due to the peak summer downturn in freight volumes, the European Seaway is put into temporary lay over at anchor for the period 1 – 31 August. The ship is available to cover freight peaks but will not be required to do more than two round trips in any day during the month. August 10th 2010: The European Seaway was noted to be in service today only having missed a few trips due to her pending "lay up". The reason stated was that due to the amount of tourist traffic wishing to cross from Dover to Calais she was required to carry freight to free up space on the passenger vessels. 5th September 2010 0800: Carried out berthing trails at the Port of Ramsgate. These were necessary due to the Pride of Burgundy being chartered to Vattenfall to host the official opening of the Thanet wind farm. The Burgundy couldn't be released from the Dover-Calais service and as the European Seaway shares the same hull form, she was sent instead.
  
  
Ramsgate 5/9/10 © Marconista
5th September 2010 0900: Following successful berthing trials she departed Ramsgate for Dover to resume service.
December 24th 2010: Arrived at the
Port of Dunkerque and entered the ARNO dry dock, berthing next to the
European Trader.
December 29th 2010: Departed Dunkerque
and re-entered service.
September 5th 2011: It was announced
that she would be withdrawn from the Dover-Calais service.
"The European Seaway
dedicated freight ship is to be taken off the Dover – Calais service and
laid up on 30 September 2011. This commercial decision will help us better
match capacity to current levels of freight demand in the Short Sea sector,
pending the arrival of the much larger Spirit of France later in the autumn.
Affected seafarers will be redeployed to other ships in the Short Sea
fleet."
September 30th 2011: Operates her last
crossing from Dover to Calais.
October 1st 2011: Departs Dover for
Tilbury, Essex and lay up.
Tilbury 1/10/11 © Paul Cloke
November 16th 2011: Owing to the
suspension of Seafrance services from Dover to Calais the "Seaway" is
reactivated for a return to Dover to offer additional sailings to Calais.
Onboard the
European Seaway
Onboard the
European Seaway © Paul Cloke
November 17th 2011: Re-entered service
between Dover and Calais offering 3 round trips a day. Services reduced at
weekends in line with demand.
Back in service 28/11/11 © Ray
Goodfellow
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