Brittany Ferries Orders New Gas Powered Flagship

Brittany Ferries announced Tuesday that it placed an order for a LNG-powered cruise-ferry to replace the company’s current flagship, Pont-Aven.

Brittany Ferries and STX France have been working together for two years on a feasibility study for powering a cruise-ferry by LNG. The new ship, costing some 270 million euros ($370 million) will be built by STX France in St. Nazaire and she will enter service in late spring 2017.

At 210 meters, the vessel will be the largest ship in the Brittany fleet and one of the biggest gas-powered vessels in the world.

The new vessel will operate on the Portsmouth-St Malo route, making it the first U.K.-based ferry to run on liquefied natural gas.

Mike Bevens, Group Commercial Director comments: “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.”

Technical Information

• Length 210 meters
• Width 32 meters
• Draught 7 meters
• Gross tonnage: 52,500
• Maximum speed: 24.5 knots
• Dual fuel propulsion capability with marine gas oil as back up
• Number of decks: 12
• Number of passengers: 2,474
• Number of crew: 189
• Number of cabins: 675 including 12 Commodore Suites, 51 Deluxe cabins, 30 pet-friendly cabins,15 wheelchair-accessible cabins
• Garage capacity: 800 cars or mix, for example, of 325 cars plus 80 freight units

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