FERRY company LD Lines is putting its new high-speed catamaran the Norman Arrow on the Le Havre-Portsmouth route from this month. It will cut the journey time from 5hr 30 to 3hr 15.

A second new ferry, the Norman Leader, arrives in June for the same route. Arrow can carry 1,200 passengers and Leader 1,215.

The Norman Spirit, which currently runs between Dover and Boulogne, is to be replaced by the ship Brave Merchant (which will be renamed) in mid-March when the Spirit transfers to new Ramsgate-Ostend route.