Brittany Ferries’ New Ship Saint-Malo Successfully Completes First LNG Bunkering in Portsmouth, UK

Portsmouth International Port successfully completed its inaugural LNG bunkering operation, marking a significant milestone in its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. The operation involved the new hybrid-electric Saint-Malo ferry, built in 2024, which will serve the English Channel.

The Saint-Malo ferry received liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Titan Clean Fuels, a Dutch LNG and liquid biomethane supplier. While LNG is not classified as a completely green fuel, it is considered a vital transitional fuel that can substantially reduce maritime emissions, thanks to its efficiency and lower harmful particulate emissions compared to traditional marine fuels.

Introduced by Brittany Ferries, the Saint-Malo is touted as the most environmentally advanced vessel in the English Channel. It’s part of a fleet renewal effort, which includes five newly commissioned E-Flexer-class ships from Stena RoRo. As the fourth vessel in this program, the Saint-Malo features the largest capacity among Brittany Ferries vessels, equipped with over 380 cabins and a robust 12 MWh battery-hybrid system.

This vessel is designed for flexible fuel use, allowing operation on batteries, LNG, or a mix of fuels. For specific tasks like docking, it can function entirely on battery power, resulting in zero emissions while docked. This attribute links nicely with Portsmouth Port’s sustainability initiatives, which also include the upcoming introduction of a shore power system to further minimize fuel consumption while ships are in port.

The Saint-Malo is set to officially launch its service in February, replacing the Bretagne ferry, which has provided transportation on the Portsmouth-St Malo route for the last forty years.

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