News
Brittany Ferries names new ships Galicia and Salamanca
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An artist's impression of the future cruise-ferries
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An artist's impression of the future cruise-ferries
Galicia and Salamanca will be the names of Brittany Ferries new ships arriving in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The names were chosen following a competition among Brittany Ferries’ staff and follow confirmation of the ships’ charter last month.
To be based in Portsmouth, both ships will serve long-haul routes to Spain where passenger traffic has grown by 80 percent in the last ten years. They represent the second and third new vessels to be delivered post-Brexit, after the arrival of Honfleur which is scheduled for 2019 and will serve Portsmouth-Caen.
“I’m delighted that we have chosen these beautiful names, which celebrate two fabulous destinations in Spain served by Brittany Ferries,” said Christophe Mathieu Brittany Ferries chief executive. “The winners can be proud to have suggested names that will become part of the company’s history and we look forward to welcoming Galicia and Salamanca to the fleet.”
Around 300 members of staff took part in the competition in May. Suggestions were made by those working on board and on shore, as well as in the four geographical locations served by the company: France, UK, Spain and Ireland. The winners are Christophe Scherr a barman aboard Brittany Ferries Normandie and Pierre-Yves Prigent, from the IT team in Roscoff, France. Each wins a return sailing on the first commercial crossing for the ship they named.
Galicia and Salamanca represent the next step in a fleet renewal and an investment programme worth around €450m for Brittany Ferries. Like Honfleur, both ships will be French flagged and will be crewed by French seafarers upon arrival in 2021 and 2022.
The names chosen reflect Brittany Ferries drive to reveal more of the beautiful destinations it serves. Galicia is popular with visitors to Spain’s northern coast, nicknamed Green Spain. It is an autonomous region located in the north-west and shares a border with Portugal to the south. Galicia shelters a multitude of fine sandy beaches, hidden coves in the cliffs but also hilly mountain ranges. It is especially known for its emblematic city of Santiago de Compostela.
Salamanca is located in the south west of Castilla y León. It is a town steeped in culture and history, and serves as a gateway to Portugal and the south of the Iberian peninsula where many Brittany Ferries customers choose to holiday.
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About Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a passenger car and freight service operating from eleven ports, linking four countries: UK – France, UK – Spain, Ireland – France and Ireland-Spain. Its mission today is to reveal more of the fabulous holiday destinations around the coastlines of the European west.
The company was originally set up by a collective of French farmers as a freight-only operator, running from Roscoff in Brittany to Plymouth with the first crossing taking place on 1 January 1973, the date the United Kingdom joined the EEC (forerunner to the EU).
The aim then was to bring French agricultural products to a wider British market. However, the service quickly developed into an operation carrying hundreds of thousands of British tourists, eager to experience the delights of Brittany and Normandy. Today Brittany Ferries is the market leader on the Western Channel for passengers and for freight. It is also a leading supplier of ferry-inclusive motoring holidays to France and Spain. Further information can be found by visiting: www.brittanyferriesnewsroom.com.
Contact:
Christopher Jones on 02392 402 965 or 07917 540 878 or [email protected]
Nigel Wonnacott on 02392 402 943 or 07833 446 729 or [email protected]