Brittany Ferries has announced a new weekly freight service linking Le Havre in Normandy with Rosslare Europort in Ireland.

The direct route (to mainland Europe) will be served by Cotentin, Brittany Ferries’ freight-only vessel and will commence next week, with an inaugural sailing on Friday 12th November.

The schedule will see Cotentin leaving Le Havre on Friday evening, arriving in Rosslare on Saturday afternoon. The freight ferry's return leg will depart Rosslare on Saturday evening, arriving in Le Havre on Sunday at 15:00.

The schedule will see Cotentin leaving Le Havre on Friday evening, arriving in Rosslare on Saturday afternoon. The return leg will depart Rosslare on Saturday evening, arriving in Le Havre on Sunday at 15:00.

Le Havre – Rosslare : Cotentin’s schedule
Depart	Le Havre	Friday	19:00
Arrive	Rosslare	Saturday	14:30
Depart	Rosslare	Saturday	17:45
Arrive	Le Havre	Sunday	15:00

 

The move follows a significant increase in demand for direct freight links connecting Ireland with France. Since the beginning of September Brittany Ferries has reported a 76% increase in weekly freight carried, compared with the first eight months of the year. 

“Thanks to flexibility in our fleet and agility in our operations, we have been able to move quickly to meet growing demand,” said Christophe Mathieu, Brittany Ferries chief executive officer. “Brexit has delivered more headaches than opportunities, particularly on routes serving the UK and France. However, the so-called Brexit by-pass, where freight operations avoid the UK completely, is one area that has worked to our advantage.”

Cotentin re-joined the Brittany Ferries fleet in January 2021. Built in 2007, she is 165 metres long with space for 120 freight units. The ship features 120 cabins and a range of amenities for drivers including a restaurant, bar and shop.

This new route will complement the Cherbourg - Rosslare service, operated by Brittany Ferries with Connemara since the beginning of 2020.

Jean-Marc Roué, Brittany Ferries’ president comments, "The red, white and blue of the French Tricolore must be flown on the routes to Ireland from Brittany and Normandy. And who better than Brittany Ferries, the largest employer of French seafarers, to display them proudly? This new route between Le Havre and Rosslare is an important step. The biggest French port should have its own freight link to Ireland.

“Economically, it’s obvious. In almost a year, the number of freight vehicles transported by sea from Ireland has tripled. I have no doubt that the imposition of control measures on the UK-Ireland landbridge at the beginning of 2022 will further strengthen this appetite for the sea alternative, and that this Le Havre/Rosslare route has a bright future.

“But it is also strategically essential for our Company: we must be present wherever there’s a real potential for growth as part of our return to competitivity. Our experience sailing to Ireland, both from Cherbourg and from Brittany, is compelling enough for us to embark on this adventure, creating a new route between our two countries.”

Surging demand on services linking Ireland with France, mirrors a sharp rise in freight carried between Ireland and Spain. 

The company is regularly carrying more than 1,000 freight units a month on its seaborne route connecting Rosslare with Bilbao. In the first eight months of the year, demand rose 70 percent compared with 2020 figures.

Ferry lanes linking Ireland with Spain were opened for the first time by Brittany Ferries in 2018. The Rosslare-Bilbao route has since become an important artery for hauliers and logistics operators.

The Rosslare-Bilbao service operates twice weekly in each direction, with sailings from Rosslare on Wednesdays and Fridays, and from Bilbao on Thursdays and Sunday.