-
9 ways France plans to simplify bureaucracy for residents
‘Intelligible’ language, more telephone operators, shorter waiting times, and a new AI assistant are among new admin simplification measures announced by the PM
-
Crops and vines decimated by April frosts in France
Cold snap is predicted to continue until end of week, when a cévenol storm will sweep across country
-
Stay up-to-date: 20 recent and upcoming changes in France
We cover tax updates, renovation scheme revamps, possible money changes for British residents and more
Brittany Ferries to restart France route with new ‘eco’ ship
The new Galicia will enable the firm to offer again a Portsmouth - Cherbourg route from December
Brittany Ferries, hard-hit by Covid-19 and especially the UK’s quarantine regime, has taken delivery of a new eco-friendly ship which will help it reopen a closed UK-France route.
The Galicia, in addition to serving a UK-Spain route, will run one weekly round trip between Portsmouth and Cherbourg.
The firm stopped serving the route on September 7 as part of cuts linked to the coronavirus pandemic and resulting reduced demand. It is planned that the route can now reopen in December.
The new ship has had successful berthing trials in Cherbourg, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Bilbao and Santander. Galicia, which was built in China and is powered by liquefied natural gas, has many innovative features intended to reduce its impact on the environment.
It is currently in dock for finishing touches before its first commercial voyages in December.
At present, its “home” port is Portsmouth but this will change to a French port, in line with the company’s policy of registering long- term fleet members in France.
Its sister ships, Salamanca and Santoña, will come into service in 2022 and 2023.
Related stories
Brittany Ferries - safe for the next year at least
€15million for Brittany Ferries 'not enough' say councillors