Brittany Ferries' newest ship Salamanca joins fleet after completing sea trials in China

Brittany Ferries, which operates services from Portsmouth to France and Spain, celebrated the delivery of its newest vessel Salamanca this week.

Salamanca is the next ship in Brittany Ferries’ fleet renewal programme and the first to be powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas). She is one of four new vessels to come in the years ahead, following the arrival of Galicia last December.

Senior executives including CEO Christophe Mathieu attended the hand-over ceremony in Sweden at the head office of construction partners Stena RoRo, where the ship was delivered – a transfer of ownership from ship builder to end user, rather than a voyage.

‘Fleet renewal is key to our business strategy,’ said Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries speaking from Sweden.

‘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 recently completed sea trials on the Yellow Sea in China, with the ship under power by liquefied natural gas for the first time.

Closer to home, preparation for her arrival in February is well under way.

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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 last two months.

Teams are learning the skills needed to bunker Salamanca, as well as new safety procedures.

Work has also recently started on LNG bunkering terminals in the ports of Bilbao and Santander.

Commenting on preparations for her arrival 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.’