Portsmouth welcomes Galicia – Brittany Ferries brand new ship for Spain
Portsmouth has welcomed Galicia, Brittany Ferries’ brand-new ship serving routes to Spain and France.
Galicia will undertake berthing trials in port on 13 October 2020 before her entry into service for passengers in December 2020.
Galicia is the longest ship ever to have graced the Brittany Ferries fleet at 215m, hosting 3km of “lane metres” for freight and passenger traffic. She is the first new ship to join the fleet since 2009 and is the first since the company announced a multi-million euro investment in fleet renewal back in 2017.
The investment was, of course, made several years ago. But the company says it hopes the new ship will reassure customers of Brittany Ferries’ commitment to a brighter future. Galicia will serve the Portsmouth to Santander route, with two weekly rotations. And one weekly there-and-back from Portsmouth to Cherbourg in Normandy.
When the current storms have passed, Brittany Ferries will have three new ships in its fleet. Two ships will have joined Galicia by 2023, called Salamanca and Santoña, both powered by cleaner liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Christophe Mathieu Brittany Ferries CEO said:
“Fleet renewal is an integral part of our five-year recovery plan and Galicia’s arrival is the result of a commission made in happier times. That is why I am delighted to bring this good news story to our staff, freight drivers and passengers today. Our message is clear: we have invested in beautiful new ships. Given the right support to get through this terrible crisis Brittany Ferries can have a bright future, as well as a proud past.”
Mike Sellers, director at Portsmouth International Port said:
“I’m delighted to welcome Galicia to the city on behalf of the people of Portsmouth. 2020 has been a challenging year for us all, so it’s great to be able to look to the future positively with the arrival of this fantastic addition to the Brittany Ferries fleet. The additional freight capacity on the ship means more opportunities for trade to flow direct from the UK to Spain, and passengers will also be able to travel in style with some of the finest facilities in ferry travel available on-board”.
