Order placed for largest gas-fuelled ferry

The two companies have been cooperating for some two years on a feasibility study for LNG as fuel, and reports in the French media in December 2013 suggested that an order for a large gas-fuelled ship was about to be placed. With the announcement from Brittany Ferries that the contract has been signed, more details of the ship have been released by the company.

The 52,500gt ro-pax vessel will be 210m in length, 32m wide, with capacity for 2,474 passengers in 675 cabins. These will include 12 Commodore cabins, all with balconies, 51 deluxe cabins, 15 cabins with wheelchair access, and 30 ‘pet-friendly’ cabins, a feature which has proved popular on another of the operator’s vessels. Accommodation will be spread over 12 decks, providing space for a wide range of catering and recreational/entertainment facilities, while vehicle capacity will be 800 cars, or 325 cars and 80 freight units – in practice the ratio will be varied. 189 crew will be accommodated onboard.

LNG will be the primary fuel, with capability of running on MGO as a back-up. Further details of the propulsion plant and bunkering arrangements have not yet been released. The contract value is quoted as €270 million, and the ship is scheduled to be delivered from the STX France St Nazaire

This new ship will operate on the longer routes between UK and Spain, currently handled by the Pont-Aven, which will move to the Portsmouth-St Malo route currently operated by the Bretagne, which, as the oldest ship in the Brittany Ferries fleet, will leave the operator’s regular service.

Mike Bevens, Group Commercial Director said: “This represents a huge investment which will benefit not simply our customers but the environment as well. Unlike other forms of transport, such as aircraft or trains, every one of our ships is different, each possessing its own unique character. This addition to our fleet will be no exception, but will incorporate all the best features of our other vessels so as to provide our customers with a truly exceptional experience. No other ferry in the UK will come close to offering this new ship’s range of facilities and its launch will mark the beginning of a new era in ferry travel.”

According to Brittany Ferries, the new ship, yet to be named, will emit about 25% less CO2 than its other vessels, with virtually no sulphur or nitrogen emissions and no smoke. The company says it will be the cleanest, most environmentally-friendly ship to operate in UK waters.