Brittany Ferries tests MV Bretagne in St Helier harbour

Tuesday, 28 May 2024 10:48

Another Brittany Ferries ship is being tested in St Helier harbour.

The 151-metre long Bretagne is the latest Brittany Ferries ship to get a berthing trial in the Channel Islands.

It follows a test docking the slightly larger Barfleur (157m) earlier this year.

The Barfleur in St Peter Port.

Both vessels are more than twenty metres longer than Condor's conventional ferries, the Islander, Clipper and Goodwill.

Ports of Jersey announced the latest trial on Tuesday morning, just an hour before the ship was due to arrive. "Brittany Ferries is a shareholder of Condor Ferries Ltd and is undertaking the trial as part of its own business continuity plans."

It comes just days after the CEO of Brittany Ferries, Christophe Mathieu, who is also the Interim CEO of Condor Ferries, told us that talks were going on to establish whether other vessels in the Brittany Ferries fleet could be used to serve this Channel Islands this winter to increase flexibility.

Could Brittany Ferries ships be used this winter?

Condor Ferries is bidding for a new contract to operate services beyond March 2025 when its current arrangement with Jersey and Guernsey expires.

Danish shipping firm DFDS has also signalled its intention to tender. Its Finlandia Seaways cargo ship was tested in both islands' harbours at the end of last year.