Ecological transition

Brittany Ferries respects the environment in which it operates and is sailing towards to an eco-responsible future. Indeed one of the pillars of its five year recovery plan is a commitment towards energy transition. Three new environmentally-friendly vessels combining comfort, safety and the latest innovations in energy saving technologies illustrate this intent. Three new ships by 2023, two of which will be LNG-powered.

Built at the CMJL shipyard in Weihai, China, three "E-Flexer" class vessels are being chartered from the Stena group. Galicia entered into service last December and she will be joined by Salamanca in 2022, then Santoña in 2023.

Galicia is the first ship in the Brittany Ferries fleet to embody the company’s new brand purpose, to reveal destinations around the coastlines of the European west. Passengers are offered two weekly rotations between Portsmouth and Santander in Northern Spain as well as one rotation per week connecting Portsmouth and Cherbourg. Departure and arrival times and crossing times have been designed to offer passengers the opportunity to explore a region that bears the ship’s name through fine art and Spanish cuisine while travelling in a soothing and environmentally friendly way.
Latest green technologies are at the heart of Galicia’s design. The design of the Galicia’s hull as well as its hydrodynamic qualities allow a very good seakeeping but also remarkable energy performances.

The optimization of the electrical production on board as well as the presence of exhaust gas purifiers considerably reduces atmospheric emissions.

Salamanca and Santoña take this significant step towards energy efficiency even further. They will be among the first ferries of this type to be fuelled with liquefied natural gas (LNG), which promises significant environmental advantages over traditional marine fuels. Funnel emissions are sulphur-free, virtually particulate-free, with a 95% reduction in nitrogen dioxide.

These three new ships of 42,200 tonnes each will be the largest in the Brittany Ferries fleet, with a length of 215 metres, making 3,000 lane metres available for freight. Thanks to fleet renewal, Brittany Ferries therefore affirms its commitment to energy transition, bringing passengers a more efficient, more respectful and more comfortable ship for their voyage.

In spring 2019, the company confirmed the order of a third LNG-powered vessel. Liquefied natural gas has significant environmental advantages over traditional fuels. It enables more efficient, sulphur-free and virtually particle-free combustion, as well as a reduction of 85% in nitrogen oxide emissions and 20% in CO 2 emissions.

Significant investment in fleet renewal was made before the current Covid crisis hit. Two LNG-powered ships will have significant impact on the reduction of carbon emissions per passenger on routes connecting the UK with Spain. The company will schedule four weekly rotations between the United Kingdom and Spain instead of the current five. This will result in a significant reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. Combined with lower emissions due to improved fuel efficiency and the use of LNG* as a fuel, a saving of 46% in terms of CO2 per passenger is expected, compared to ships currently operating on the same routes.

* Liquefied Natural Gas