Operator of the Larne-Cairnyran route, P&O Ferries has made a significant step on its North Sea Hull-Rotterdam land-bridge route cruise ferry, Pride of Hull, by becoming the service's first vessel to transition permanently to running on lower-carbon biofuel.
Following a successful trial, the 59,925 gross ton cruise ferry, which Afloat adds is one of the largest cruise ferries in the world, is now running entirely on biofuel B30—a milestone in P&O Ferries’ journey to cut emissions across its fleet. (See related decarbonization initiatives on the North Channel route along with the 'Fusion' class twins linking the Dover-Calais route).
The announcement coincides with the recent UN’s Global Goals Week, an annual rallying point for action and accountability around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By rolling out biofuels on one of Europe’s largest ferries, P&O Ferries advances UN Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 14 (Life Below Water)—demonstrating how ambitious goals can be translated into practical progress.
At 215 meters long, the 2001-built Pride of Hull carries up to 1,360 passengers and 400 freight vehicles on the busy Hull–Rotterdam route, and as Afloat also highlights, its older twin, Pride of Rotterdam, on the North Sea corridor, together operate a critical trade and travel link between the UK and Europe. Now, with the transition to biofuel B30, the Pride of Hull is cutting lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 20% compared with traditional marine fuel, while maintaining the reliability of services.
The transition directly supports compliance with the EU’s FuelEU Maritime regulation, which came into force in January 2025 and requires ships over 5,000 gross tonnage to progressively reduce their greenhouse gas intensity.
Stewart Hayes, Fleet Director for P&O Ferries, said, “Global Goals Week is about turning ambition into action. This transition shows that meaningful emissions reductions are possible today—even on one of the largest ferries in Europe. By adopting biofuels, we’re helping our freight and passenger customers meet their climate goals while making journeys and supply chains cleaner. It’s another step towards our ambition for a more sustainable future for ferry travel and trade, part of DP World’s wider commitment to cut emissions by 42% by 2030. Our shared goal exceeds European standards to limit global temperature rise.”
Following consultation with engine manufacturer Wärtsilä and leading fuel suppliers, biofuel B30 was selected as the most practical transitional fuel—reducing emissions without the need for costly vessel conversions. Alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia would require significant engine modifications or replacements.
The move builds on P&O Ferries’ carbon savings of over 135,000 tonnes in recent years through hybrid ship deployment and fleet optimization.
