There has been a switch of routes for Brittany Ferries’ China-built E-Flexer series vessels, with Salamanca (2021/42,000gt) moved off the Portsmouth-Bilbao service for a spell running from the Irish port of Rosslare to Bilbao and Cherbourg.
Santander will stay until April, when Galacia (2000/41,863gt), another product of the Avic- Weihai Jinling yard, takes over following the arrival of the company’s third E-Flexer, Santona.
Brittany Ferries expect two further E-Flexers in 2024 and 2025, but at 194.7m in length they will be shorter than the existing vessels, which are 214.5m long, although their beam will be the same, at 21.8m.
Work started late last year on the eleventh E-Flexer, which will be named Saint-Malo and is due to replace the long-serving Bretagne (1989/24,534gt) between Portsmouth and St Malo, a route the veteran vessel has been closely associated with since 1993.