France-based Bureau Veritas (BV) has taken delivery into class of Brittany Ferries’ new cruise ferry, the Salamanca.
Designed with a focus on efficiency and sustainability, the vessel benefits from twin Wärtsilä 12V46DF dual-fuel engines, each capable of generating 13,740kW. Operated by Brittany Ferries, the vessel will use LNG as a fuel to almost entirely eliminate NOX and particulate matter to reduce its CO2 emissions.
LNG will be supplied in the ports of Bilbao and Santander in northern Spain, enabling the vessel to carry out round trips between Spain and Portsmouth on the UK’s south coast. The long and slender hull and bow design will help to further enhance the vessel’s fuel efficiency.
The Salamanca is the second E-Flexer to enter service with Brittany Ferries as the company aims to introduce cleaner ships to its fleet over the next five years. Measuring 214.5m long, the ferry has the capacity to carry 1,015 passengers and will serve routes between Portsmouth and Bilbao and Santander from March 2022.
The company plans to deploy three further LNG-fueled vessels over the next few years, with the Santoña set to join the fleet in 2023 on a route between Portsmouth, Santander and Bilbao. Beginning in 2025, two hybrid LNG-electric ships will serve routes between France and the UK.
“Renewing our fleet stands as one of the pillars of Brittany Ferries’ recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic,” commented Arnaud Le Poulichet, technical director at Brittany Ferries. “It goes hand-in-hand with sustainability and will see the introduction of a range of cleaner vessels that will enable us to reduce our environmental footprint and deliver on our sustainability targets. Since we embarked on LNG ship projects back in 2012, BV has been by our side, listening and working with us to find technical solutions for the operation of our LNG ferries, as well as for LNG bunkering.”
“BV has been involved in LNG propulsion and bunkering from the very start and has supported the expansion of LNG-fueled vessel capacity, addressing the design and operational requirements to help ensure safety and reliability,” said Bruno Dabouis, vice president Southern Europe, North Africa and North America at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore. “We are proud to partner with Brittany Ferries as an environmental frontrunner, and we are looking forward to supporting Salamanca’s operational life on the route across the Bay of Biscay from the United Kingdom to Spain, Brittany Ferries’ longest route.