Brittany Ferries has celebrated the successful launch of one of its brand-new LNG-electric hybrids as it leaves Portsmouth following two hours of concentrated charging, marking the first cross-Channel ferry to leave the UK powered by electricity fed from the quayside.
The ferry, Guillaume de Normandie, carried 1,100 holidaymakers toward their destination of Caen at the start of the school summer break – one of the operator’s busiest routes.
Having initially arrived into Portsmouth from France at 06:00, the ferry was immediately plugged-in and charged for a total of two hours before switching to electric power for manoeuvre out of Portsmouth Harbour and onto Normandy, where it will arrive at the eastern edge of Sword Beach, a newly designated UNESCO world heritage site.
Shore power has been in testing at Portsmouth International Port for the last two months, and is now fully operational, allowing Guillaume de Normandie and sister ship Saint-Malo – which serves the St Malo route – to recharge their batteries each time they arrive.
The move allows for a total elimination of both harmful climate change emissions and loud noise when plugged-in, and also enables ships to manoeuvre in and out of Portsmouth Harbour completely emissions-free, switching to hybrid LNG-electric running only once clear of the port entrance.
Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries, said:his is a huge milestone for our business, and one that we’ve reached thanks to a team effort by all partners involved. It means we can now realise the full potential of the greenest vessels in our fleet. We’re better neighbours to Portsmouth, and we’re leading the sector on sustainability.
But this doesn’t come without a cost. We’re urging the new government to consider tax breaks to offset the additional expense of plugging in while alongside. Without that support, the lead taken by Portsmouth International Port and Brittany Ferries is unlikely to be followed by others in the drive to net zero.
Whilst Brittany Ferries has stated that the cost of charging is ‘still a challenge’ for itself, the port and the wider shipping sector; the operator has thanked Portsmouth International Port for a deal covering the next twelve months, which is expected to help offset some additional cost burden.
