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Brittany freight shows signs of Covid hangover

[ November 10, 2022   //   ]

Brittany Ferries said freight traffic has struggled to recover to pre-Covid 2019 levels, in its annual figures for the 12 months to the end of October 2022. Freight was down 27% on UK/France routes, and 22% on UK/Spain.

The relatively small Ireland/France and Ireland/Spain markets showed gains of 606% and 172% respectively, reflecting lower volumes using the UK land-bridge.

However, Brittany Ferries says it is optimistic for the year ahead. The operator launched the Salamanca in March the first of four vessels to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). She will operate throughout the winter and into next summer on the Cherbourg and Bilbao to Rosslare routes, having been on the Portsmouth-Cherbourg and Portsmouth-Bilbao route since her introduction into service.

A second LNG-powered vessel, the Santoña will join the fleet in March next year and will be based in Portsmouth.

Santoña will be followed by two LNG-electric hybrid vessels in 2024/25, replacing two of the longest serving ships in the fleet, the Bretagne and the Normandie. They will be based in Portsmouth, and will serve St Malo and Caen.

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