MS Pride of Dover was a cross-channel ferry built-in 1987 for Townsend Thoresen. One of two 'Chunnel Beater' ships she primarily operated on the Dover – Calais route alongside her sister ship the Pride of Calais for P&O Ferries Ferries until 2010. History Pride of Dover was the last new ship to appear in service with the famous Townsend Thoresen orange hull, although she was delivered with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) house flag painted on her funnel in place of the traditional 'TT' insignia which was change prior to delivered. Townsend Thoresen was renamed P&O European Ferries late in 1987, following the disaster, and Pride of Dover was swiftly repainted in the new company colours. They were an evolution of the Spirit Class that preceded them and were built in the same dockyard, however, they were so large that their hulls were put together at a different shipyard to that of the construction. This was because the contract winner, Schichau Unterweser, could not fit the hull of the vessels on their slipway. They were instead constructed in sections in Bremerhaven and towed down the River Weser by Barge to Bremer Vulcan. Pride of Calais unlike Pride of Dover was largely complete when she was launched at Bremer Vulcan before being towed to Schichau Unterweser for fitting out. In 1990 the vessel had its first major modification with the additional of the "Club Class" lounge and modified forward superstructure with a new row on windows on the deck directly beneath the bridge. [[File:Pride of Dover_IMO 8517736_F_Dover_18-07-2006.jpg|thumb|left|Stern view of Pride of Dover]] On the 3rd March 1998 P&O European Ferries and Stena Line merged their short sea operations and the ship was under the control of P&O Stena Line and carried the name P&OSL Dover from 1998 until 2002. In the summer of 1998, the Pride of Dover carried Michael Jackson en route to Paris as part of his Bad tour, after bad weather disrupted planned flights. Following the ending of the P&O Stena Line operation she returned to P&O control she was renamed PO Dover before she was repainted into new P&O Ferries livery when her name returned to Pride of Dover during her refit in 2003. During this refit at Falmouth here bridge wings were also enclosed. On 20 February 2007, she made contact with a berth in Calais damaging her 'Cow Catcher'. Due to this