 At the time of the sinking, the operating company, P&O European Ferries (Dover) Ltd were rebranding the Townsend Thoresen ferries.This was expedited rapidly due to the negative publicity that the disaster had caused to the Townsend Thoresen brand.In 1976, European Ferries took over the operations of Port of Felixstowe following the purchase of the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company.