Brittany Ferries will introduce its first LNG-powered 'cruise style' ferry to Ireland from November 2022, operating on the Rosslare to Spain and France routes.
The Salamanca will replace the freight-oriented vessel Connemara and will operate for five months.
Its sister-ship Galicia will then take over to complete the summer season 2023, but the company says Salamanca is likely to return to serve the route full-time from 2024.
Launched in March, Salamanca is Brittany Ferries’ newest vessel, and its first to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The fuel is far kinder to the environment, and particularly for those living and working around ports.
Local air quality emissions like particulates and nitrogen dioxide are almost eliminated, while CO2 is cut by as much as 20% thanks to more efficient combustion.
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Chief executive Christophe Mathieu said: “LNG-powered ships like the Salamanca are part of our long-term plan for Ireland. They are a are a clear statement of our commitment to the future, to fleet renewal and, importantly, to the ports in which we operate.
“They are cleaner vessels from day one, significantly cutting emissions and have the capacity to be even greener in the years to come. That’s because Salamanca is capable of running on future fuels like e-methane or bio-methane should these become available in future.”
At present, Salamanca operates from Portsmouth in Britain to Santander in Spain and is the first of four LNG-powered ferries to join the fleet. By 2025 this will include two LNG-electric hybrids, capable of running on gas, on batteries or a combination of the two, like a hybrid car.
Salamanca will sail from Rosslare to Cherbourg on Mondays, and from Rosslare to Bilbao on Wednesdays and Fridays. Like Galicia, she is a cruise-ferry with bars, restaurants, a cinema and shops.
Rosslare Europort general manager Glenn Carr commented: “Rosslare Europort very much welcomes the introduction of Salamanca and in due course Galicia by Brittany Ferries to its services into the port. The introduction of these cruise-style vessels will benefit both our freight and particularly our passenger customers. The additional volume these new ships will deliver will also bring great economic benefit to Wexford and to the southeast region as a whole.”
Salamanca is one of the largest ships in the Brittany Ferries fleet. The Flexer class vessel can accommodate up to 1,015 passengers in 341 cabins with nearly three square kilometres of space to transport cars and freight.
Once operational, the service between Rosslare Europort and Cherbourg will take 13 hours, while the Rosslare Europort to Bilbao crossing will take 28 hours.
