Moving into a fourth decade of service next year, PRIDE OF YORK was the last large passenger vessel built at a British yard when delivered to North Sea Ferries by Govan Shipbuilders as NORSEA in 1987, PRIDE OF BRUGES following a few weeks later as NORSUN from Japanese yard Nippon Kokan and delivered to P&O's then Dutch partner Royal Nedlloyd. They sailed Hull-Rotterdam Europoort until replaced by the Italy-built PRIDE OF HULL and PRIDE OF ROTTERDAM in 2002 and after switching to the Zeebrugge run, still locking in and out of Hull's King George Dock, received their current names in 2003 before the operation became wholly-owned by P&O three years later.

Powered by four Sulzer diesels with a service speed of 18.5 knots, there is overnight accommodation for 1,124 passengers in over 400 cabins together with 2,230 lane meter of vehicle space. Although no yard details have been announced, PRIDE OF YORK is due to resume operations on 23 March 2017 with PRIDE OF BRUGES following in late April.