Titan LNG and Brittany Ferries have signed a long-term agreement for the supply of LNG and liquefied biomethane (LBM) to two new LNG-fueled hybrid ro-pax vessels that Brittany Ferries will operate between England and France from 2025.
Titan aims to supply fuel to both vessels during usual cargo operations to avoid delays to sailing schedules.
The two 194.7m, 1,400-passenger LNG-hybrid ships will join the fleet in 2024 and 2025, replacing two of the longest-serving vessels, Bretagne (1989) and Normandie (1992). They will follow two new LNG-fueled ships, Salamanca, which entered service in March 2022, and Santoña, which will arrive in 2023.
The hybrid vessels will have a 10MWh battery hybrid power system for propulsion and maneuvering in port and an 8MW electric shore connection for port charging, when infrastructure allows. As well as cutting emissions, hybrid propulsion promises less noise and a smoother ride for passengers.
“We look forward to our journey ahead with Brittany Ferries and these innovative ships,” said Régine Portocarero, Titan LNG’s business development manager. “We believe strong partnerships are essential for the maritime industry to successfully decarbonize. Furthermore, thanks to the unique farmer-shareholder ownership structure that underpins Brittany Ferries, we see great potential in available stocks for local LBM production.”
“Ships like Salamanca, Santoña and our forthcoming hybrid ships are cleaner today and greener tomorrow,” added Frederic Pouget, operations and ports director, Brittany Ferries. “Thanks to LNG, they promise an immediate and significant reduction in air quality emissions and a small reduction in GHG emissions. They are greener tomorrow because they are capable of running on fuels like LBM first, and later future fuels like hydrogen derived liquid methane. These have the potential to slash well-to-wake GHG emissions. Our new vessels will therefore automatically become greener when these fuels arrive and there is great potential for expanding the development of the LBM value chain with Titan LNG.”
This partnership marks an expansion of Titan’s operations in the English Channel, which will enhance the availability of LNG, LBM and, in the longer run, hydrogen-derived LNG in the region. Titan will bring additional barge capacity to meet this demand. There are plans for a Krios series vessel to serve Brittany Ferries and to regularly transit between relevant ports.