In 1999 Express was chartered to P&O Portsmouth for service between Portsmouth and Cherbourg replacing the smaller Superstar Express and adopted the trading name Portsmouth Express though her official name remained Catalonia. The ship operated with P&O Portsmouth during the 2000, 2001 and 2002 summer seasons and returned to Buquebus for the rest of the year.
In 2002 the ships marketing name became Express after P&O Portsmouth became part of P&O Ferries. In 2004 the ship was officially renamed Express but her marketing name became Cherbourg Express to differentiate the service from the Caen Express service which P&O started that year. In 2005 her charter was transferred to P&O Irish Sea. Express remains with P&O Irish Sea on the Troon/Carinryan-Larne route
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