Brittany Ferries has taken delivery of its huge new gas-driven super ferry Salamanca with it due to arrive in the 海角视频 in early 2022.
The company, which has its 海角视频 headquarters in Plymouth, sent senior executives including chief executive Christophe Mathieu to attend a hand-over ceremony in Sweden at the head office of construction partners Stena RoRo.
Delivery refers to the transfer of ownership from ship builder to end user, rather than a voyage. So Salamanca will leave China in December 2021 for a two month voyage to the 海角视频. The vessel recently completed sea trials on the Yellow Sea in China, where it was built, with the ship under power by liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time.
READ MORE: {}
Brittany Ferries in the news
Closer to home, preparation for her arrival in February 2022 is well under way. Brittany Ferries’ French crews are busy training. A dedicated LNG simulator opened at the company’s Atalante training centre in St Malo and has been used to train staff for the past two months.
Teams are learning the skills needed to bunker (re-fuel) Salamanca, as well as new safety procedures relating to a fuel that promises very few air quality emissions and lower CO2 upon combustion.
Work has also recently started on LNG bunkering terminals in the ports of Bilbao and Santander. These will store fuel for Salamanca and sister ship Santoña, the latter of which will join the fleet in 2023. Both vessels will serve 海角视频-Spain routes.
Salamanca will weigh-in at more than 42,000 gross tonnes. That means she will be one of the largest ships ever to serve the company, and at 215 metres long she will be joint-longest.
Although used primarily on routes out of Portsmouth, sister ship Galica was trialled in Plymouth when it came into service in 2020, partly to check the ferry could fit into the port at Millbay, which means the company might then use its two sister ships to operate out of Plymouth.
Most Read
Salamanca will carry 1,015 passengers, with over 2.7km of lane-space to house passenger and freight vehicles. She will be French-flagged and crewed by French seafarers. However, Brittany Ferries 海角视频 headquarters remains in Plymouth, where it is a key employer.
Christophe Mathieu, chief executive of Brittany Ferries speaking from Sweden, said: “Fleet renewal is key to our business strategy. It is one of the pillars that will drive our recovery from the Covid crisis and deliver another successful 50 years for Brittany Ferries.
“So it is with gratitude that we thank our partners at Stena RoRo and everyone involved in her construction. From customers and suppliers, to the crew that will sail with her, we all look forward to welcoming Salamanca to the Brittany Ferries family ahead of her sister ship Santoña a year later.”
Salamanca is the next ship in Brittany Ferries’ fleet renewal programme and the first to be powered by LNG. She is one of four new vessels to come in the years ahead, following the arrival of Galicia in December 2020.
Salamanca and Santoña will be powered by LNG. Two hybrid LNG-electric vessels will follow in 2024/2025 as replacements for Bretagne (constructed in 1989) and Normandie (1992). The hybrids will carry passengers on routes connecting France with the 海角视频 and will be shore-side power ready.
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
To contact William: Email: william.telford@reachplc.com - Phone: 01752 293116 - Mob: 07584 594052 - Twitter: - LinkedIn: - Facebook:
Stay in touch: BusinessLive newsletters have been re-designed to make them even better. We send morning bulletins straight to your inbox on the latest news, views and opinion in the South West. Get our breaking news alerts and weekly sector reviews too. Sign up now - it's free and it only takes a minute. To sign up for Business Live's daily newsletters click .
And visit the Business Live South West LinkedIn page
Mr Mathieu said: “Our training centre at Atalante in St Malo is a state-of-the-art facility that was opened in 2019. It is equipping our sailors with the tools they need to be ready for Salamanca and her sister ships in the years to come.”
Jean-Marc Roué, president Brittany Ferries, added: “Continued investment is necessary to ensure that we do not fall behind in the renewal of our fleet. More efficient and competitive ships are the guarantee of our recovery.”
More South West transport stories