Brittany Ferries, Wärtsilä, and Incat Tasmania have signed a partnership deal to explore the design and technical requirements for a 137m zero-emissions craft. The project comes as Brittany Ferries nears the completion of the biggest fleet renewal program in its history. Five new vessels will have joined the fleet between 2020 and 2025, including two LNG-powered ships (currently in service) and two shore-power-ready LNG-electric hybrids.
The tripartite deal brings together heavyweight marine partners with complementary strengths. Their expertise includes the design and construction of fast craft, all aspects of engineering and technical needs, and experience in operating a large and diverse fleet. Wärtsilä is a supplier to all five new ships in Brittany Ferries ongoing fleet renewal project. This includes LNG engines that power Salamanca, which joined the fleet in 2022, and Santoña in 2023. In addition, Wärtsilä is installing LNG-hybrid drivetrains for hybrid vessels currently under construction and set to sail for Europe by the end of this year.
Brittany Ferries took delivery of an Incat fast ferry in 2005. Under the name Normandie Express, she sped from Tasmania to France and served the company until 2021. She is currently under charter from Brittany Ferries to Condor Ferries, operating under the name Condor Voyager. She operates St Malo – Channel Islands routes. Brittany Ferries is a minority shareholder of Condor Ferries, and Chief Executive Christophe Mathieu is also Condor’s CEO.
“This is an important project as we look at different ways to reach net zero by 2050,” said Christophe Mathieu, Chief Executive of Brittany Ferries “All-electric power is a potential solution, best suited to shorter ferry routes. At this stage, we don’t know what is feasible, and on which route, but what we can say is that trusted partners will help us scope it out. Upon completion of the project, we can move quickly. Brittany Ferries has a track record of walking the talk when it comes to leading the industry on sustainable ferry travel, as our investment in LNG and hybrid ships shows.”
“Ferries play a vital role in meeting the growing demand for environmentally sustainable transport options, and the investment Wärtsilä makes in R&D to develop technologies and integrated solutions is key in enabling this development,” added Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine and Executive Vice President at Wärtsilä Corporation.
“Incat has longstanding and successful relationships with Brittany Ferries and Wärtsilä, built upon shared values and a vision for innovation and environmental sustainability,” added Stephen Casey, Chief Executive Officer of Incat. “We know that battery electric propulsion, coupled with lightweight aluminium vessels, is the ideal choice to eliminate emissions, and we are thrilled to be continuing our relationship with both Brittany Ferries and Wärtsilä as we collectively lead the next evolution of sustainable maritime transport throughout Europe.”
About Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a maritime company that originated from a desire to bridge and connect the relatively isolated region of Brittany. As early as 1967, the company’s dynamic President and Founder, Alexis Gourvennec, began laying the groundwork for this ambitious project. He collaborated with the expert teams at CELIB (Comité d’Etudes et de Liaison des Intérêts Bretons) and SEMENF (Société d’Economie Mixte du Nord Finistère) to bring his vision to life. In 1972, their efforts resulted in the establishment of BAI (Bretagne-Angleterre-Irlande),
Brittany Ferries initially focused on transporting Brittany’s vegetables across the Channel. Anticipating the rise of mass cross-Channel passenger travel, particularly among the British, BAI rebranded itself as Brittany Ferries in 1974. By 1978, Brittany Ferries had evolved into a tour operator.
Today, it stands as the foremost sea transporter on the Western and Central Channel and remains the largest employer of French seafarers. Each of its vessels proudly flies the French flag. Through enduring partnerships cultivated over the years, the company plays a pivotal role in the social and economic development of the Atlantic regions it serves.
Source Brittany Ferries