Innovative new hybrid Brittany Ferries ship Guillaume de Normandie visits Portsmouth before first trip - when

MV Guillaume de Normandie, operated by Brittany Ferries, sailed into Portsmouth harbour for the first time on Tuesday (April 1). Proudly flying the French in the glorious sunshine, the vessel completed ramp trials at Portsmouth International Port.

Excitement is building ahead of her first commercial sailing on Good Friday (April 18). She will become a regular fixture on the Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham) route - Brittany Ferries’ busiest route. Company spokesman Nigel Wonnacott said passengers are “promised a voyage of comfort and style in the years ahead”.

MV Guillaume de Normandie is the second of five new ships which are set to join the fleet between 2020 and 2025, with the renewal being the largest investment Brittany Ferries has made into its flotilla. Her sister vessel Saint Malo, mooted as the "biggest hybrid ferry" to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and electricity, commercially launched on February 12.

Just like Saint Malo, Guillaume de Normandie will run on a hybrid drivetrain which produces lower emissions at sea than conventional methods. She can switch to electric mode at the push of a button, so the crew can sail her around Portsmouth harbour and keep her docked with zero emissions - all while reducing noise pollution in port.

The vessel will also be able to make use of shore power charging, which is being installed at Portsmouth International Port this year. This would mean the ferry’s crew can switch off the engine entirely while docked as the onboard systems will be powered by the shore system, and batteries can be re-charged ahead of departure.

What will it be like on board Guillaume de Normandie?

Mr Wonnacott said the new ferry will be “a love letter to the region that bears her name”. “That means accents of Normandy everywhere on board, a floating homage to a region steeped in history, rich in arts and culture, and renowned for its fantastic cuisine,” he added.

A myriad of new services and amenities will be present on board, including Couchette Plus lounges which are useful for school groups and similar sized parties. Café du Port, a new dining concept, will serve passengers freshly baked French pastries each morning. Normandie-based art will also don the walls.

Spacious cabins with comfortable mattresses, an exclusive C Class lounge and a vehicle garage are some of the other features that span over 10 decks. A total of 1,300 passengers can be carried at once with 220 cabins.

MV Guillaume de Normandie is set to replace her predecessor, MV Normandie, which launched in 1992.