Feature, Freight News, Sea

Hybrid ships for Brittany Ferries’ Anglo-French routes

[ July 21, 2021   //   Chris ]

Brittany Ferries says that two new hybrid LNG-electric ships will join its fleet in 2024/25 serving the Portsmouth to St Malo and Caen routes. They will replace the Bretagne (Portsmouth/ St Malo) and Normandie (Portsmouth/Caen), the oldest ships in the fleet

At sea, the new ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG)  but will also operate partially or completely on battery power for example when arriving and departing ports.

As well as significantly cutting emissions, the hybrid technology will reduce noise and vibration on board.

They will also be able to plug in to shore-side power when this is available in ports to recharge onboard batteries and power systems like air conditioning, heating and lighting while at berth, cutting funnel emissions in port to zero.

The new ships will also have a longer and higher garage fors greater freight capacity. However, they will also be better adapted to new types of passenger vehicle.

The ships will be chartered from Stena RoRo on a ten-year agreement, with a purchase option after four.

The vessels will follow the deployment of the LNG-powered Salamanca in 2022 and Santoña in 2023, on the UK-Spain routes.

Brittany Ferries chief executive, Christophe Mathieu, said“Fleet renewal is not a choice for Brittany Ferries; it is an imperative to secure our future. Our customers rightly demand cleaner, greener vessels and our port partners expect us to be good neighbours. Furthermore, we will certainly face tighter regulation in the years ahead. The future of our company depends upon our ability to rise to the challenge today, to prepare for tomorrow.

“They bring with them a host of innovations just as Bretagne and Normandie did when they were launched. Both vessels have served us well and we are grateful for the support of the regions that bear their name. They are much loved by customers and crew, but now is the time for us to look to the future and to plan for a brighter future, even as we battle the crisis we face today.”