Brittany Ferries next vessel Salamanca is well on the way to coming into service on the companies Spanish routes. The company runs services between Plymouth and both Roscoff in France and Santander in Spain.

“Fleet renewal is key to our business strategy,” said Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries. “It is one of the pillars that will drive our recovery from the Covid crisis and deliver another successful 50 years for Brittany Ferries.”

Salamanca will be followed by her sister ship Santoña a year later.

Salamanca recently completed sea trials. The tests took place on the Yellow Sea in China, with the ship under power by liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time.

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.

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 UK-Spain routes.

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 last December.

Both vessels 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 UK and will be shore-side power ready.

Commenting on preparations for her arrival Christophe Mathieu added: “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.”