In January 2023, Brittany Ferries will mark 50 years since the first-ever ferry crossing on the English Channel took place by the operator when linking the French region and Cornwall.

A converted Israeli tank-carrier, Kerisnel departed Roscoff in Brittany, bound for Plymouth carrying a cargo of cauliflowers and cognac. The vessel arrived in Millbay Docks, Plymouth on 2 January 1973, the day after Britain had joined the common market (forerunner to the EU).

Within a few years the company had opened more routes with better ships and introduced sail-and-stay holidays for its biggest export market: British tourists which today, comprise around 90% of all passengers on board.

Brittany Ferries is preparing the 50th anniversary celebration for 2 January 2023, with Plymouth at its heart. Twinning committees representing towns, villages and communes from across Brittany have been invited to travel to Plymouth on the company’s flagship Pont-Aven which has been specially re-routed for the celebratory voyage.

They will be met in Millbay Docks by their twin-town counterparts from towns in the south west of England and Wales, as well as the great and good of Britain’s Ocean City. An afternoon reception and gala dinner on board will follow.

“Since our first sailing, Brittany Ferries aim has been to enrich regions by connecting people and boosting trade,” said Christophe Mathieu CEO Brittany Ferries. “This special anniversary event will help reinforce those links – and reconnect those who have been separated for too long by Covid and Brexit. We want to strengthen the entente cordiale between people who are closer to each other culturally and geographically, than they are to centres of power in Paris and London.”

Entertainment at the event will come courtesy of Breton folk band Dremmwel. Their music has been the soundtrack to the start of a holiday for an estimated 24.6 million passengers. That’s because music from the four-piece has been used as wake-up tunes in cabins on board most ships since 2009.

“Dremmwel’s songs must be among some of the best-known in Britain,” added Mathieu. “Few may know the men behind the music, but everyone who travels with us know what their songs signify: they say wake-up holiday maker, you have arrived at your destination.”

Members of twinning committees in the southwest should have received an invitation to the event. However, not all have easily accessible contact details. So today, Brittany Ferries calls on those who have not received an invitation to get in contact with event organisers, by emailing the following address: [email protected]

#FerryNews - The first ever direct Ireland-mainland continental Europe ferry service began on this date 50 years ago when on 17 May, 1968, M.V. Leopard made a historic crossing from Rosslare to Le Havre, France, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The pioneering direct continental passenger and car ferry service was launched by the state-owned Irish Shipping Ltd (ISL) and Normandy Ferries jointly operated by the General Steam Navigation Company (British) and Société Anonyme de Gérance et d'Armement (S.A.G.A.) owned by the French Rothschild banking family.

The service provided a novel way for Irish holiday-makers to arrive in France and to discover the wonders of the country and the continent beyond. 

S.A.G.A. commissioned the Leopard (850 passengers/240 cars) which was built in Brittany at Nantes and entered service in 1968 firstly on the English Channel serving the Le Havre-Southampton route. A 6,000 tonnes sister, Dragon joined the service however rivals, Townsend Thoresen were operating in direct competition.

It was soon realised that traffic was not sufficient for both operators. This led to Normandy Ferries transferring the Leopard during 1968 on the Le Havre-Rosslare route in partnership with ISL.

In addition the Dragon in that same year's off-peak season launched a new UK-Iberian-African service. This also involved sailings from the same south UK port of Southampton to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon and onward sailings to Casablanca, Morroco. In addition, Dragon carried out crossings between Southampton and Rouen on the Seine. 

As for the Ireland-France service, the first season carried 31,000 passengers and in 1969 the route was operated to a twice-weekly sailing with sailings also run by Dragon. The service ran the following year, however operations were withdrawn at the end of the 1971 season.

Both the British and French partners cited reasons for the withdrawal of the service was because they required the ferry sisters for other services.

The abrupt nature in closing the service did not allow sufficient time to resume a 1972 season, however a new operator re-launched the Ireland-France route the following year.

ISL's new ferry devision, Irish Continental Line (ICL) entered in co-operation with two operators. Fearnley & Eger, were Norwegian interests and the other concern was Lion Ferry A/B of Sweden. The trioka launched sailings in 1973 on the continental link using the newbuild, Saint Patrick, in which Afloat will have more to feature on next month.

Following the success of this service, a second route was added to Cherbourg in 1978 with the introduction of Saint Killian. The ferry would later become 'stretched' in 1982.  

Irish Shipping Ltd however went into liquidation in 1984, which led to Irish Continental Line sold off in a management buyout and to emerge as Irish Continental Group.

ICG are the parent company of Irish Ferries which are the successors of the Ireland-France service which is complemented by Ireland-UK operations. Since change of ownership, routes on the continental service have come and gone and so too the ferries. As for the present cruiseferry, Oscar Wilde had docked in Roscoff, having arrived earlier today and at time of writing has  departed the Breton port early this evening. 

The former Norway-Germany serving ferry of one time Jahre Line and later Color Line. This evening, Oscar Wilde is to making a return crossing to the Wexford port where that historic sailing began five decades ago. 

Roll on 50 years to 2018 as a week ago the historic first ever Ireland-Spain direct ferry service by Brittany Ferries was completed. This saw the ropax Connemara make a maiden Cork-Santander sailing last Thursday.

The chartered ferry further carried out operating new additional sailings on the Cork-Roscoff route, though firstly diverting to Brest due to operational reasons.