Brittany Ferries LNG-electric hybrid newbuild Saint-Malo called into the English Channel port of Portsmouth for the first time this week.
The chartered E-Flexer class newbuild Afloat adds, developed by Stena Ro Ro, arrived and subsequently departed the Hampshire harbour on pure battery power.
Saint-Malo’s first commercial voyage to the eponymous Corsair city will take place on 12 February. As for this sneak preview, it coincided with ramp trials in Portsmouth International Port and various operational tests to prepare the new ferry for service.
While the first call of Saint-Malo generated plenty of noise and fanfare, there was nothing to see from its funnel. In fact, there were no emissions whatsoever; neither climate change gases like carbon dioxide nor air quality pollutants like soot or NOx (nitrogen dioxide).
“This week we turned the page on a new chapter in the history of Brittany Ferries,” said Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries. “It’s a story of sustainable growth, and Saint-Malo reflects this commitment to the future.
“Residents and port partners will certainly have heard and seen her first arrival, thanks to water cannons and welcoming foghorns. But they won’t have seen anything untoward from her funnel. That’s because she ran in and out of the harbour on pure electric power—and will continue to do so as she serves Portsmouth in the years to come.”
Cleaner and greener, Saint-Malo is the fourth new vessel to join Brittany Ferries’ fleet between 2019 and 2025. It’s all part of the largest fleet renewal program in the company’s 52-year history.
Saint-Malo is also the biggest hybrid vessel ever to enter service—with the largest battery pack—and proudly wears the name of one of the most glamorous destinations in the Brittany Ferries portfolio, a name steeped in maritime history.
Like a hybrid car, Saint-Malo runs on cleaner LNG (liquefied natural gas), battery power, or a combination of the two. That means lower emissions at sea, while maneuvering, and while berthed in port. Crucially, it means zero emissions when entering and exiting Portsmouth Harbour.
Also like its twin newbuild, Guillaume de Normandie, arriving in March, Saint-Malo will be shore-powered capable. The ferry can be plugged in during calls and will be a better neighbor to those who live and work around ports.
“The arrival of Saint-Malo is the latest step in our long-standing partnership with Brittany Ferries and also marks a big milestone in our shared sustainability ambitions,” added Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council. ”
“Not only will Saint-Malo be the first to use LNG bunkering in Portsmouth, but she will also be ready to receive clean electricity from our shore power system when it goes live later this year, making her journeys greener and improving air quality for the city.
“Saint-Malo’s arrival is testament to the environmental commitments we share with Brittany Ferries, and we’re sure all of her passengers will be delighted with the experience she will deliver.”
If Brittany Ferries Bretagne (which Afloat highlights was a former flagship on the Cork-Roscoff route), was a love letter to the past, the vessel that replaces the veteran on the UK-France route is an homage to the modern, vibrant Brittany of today.
According to Brittany Ferries, it contributed €231 million to the Brittany region thanks to the tourists it carried last year.
Saint-Malo offers improved comfort and accessibility for passengers too. This includes a more spacious garage (car deck), wider interior spaces, and more comfortable beds than its (1989-built) predecessor. Its ten decks house 387 cabins, 28 of which will be pet-friendly, and it has a capacity of 1,290 passengers.
Among the facilities are restaurants, spacious cabins, an exclusive club lounge, and art on display throughout the newest of the fleet.
