Brittany Ferries to Sell Rosslare-Cherbourg Ship Amid Cost-Cutting Programme

Brittany Ferries is to sell its Cotentin ship – which runs the Rosslare-Cherbourg route – as part of a wide-reaching cost cutting programme.

The Rosslare-Cherbourg route will continue as part of the overall Brittany Ferries programme, but will be operated with other ships.

The company will also be selling its Barfleur ship and will close the Poole-Cherbourg and Portsmouth-Le Havre routes.

Brittany Ferries may have one of the greenest fuelled fleets in Europe, but still faces an EU Emission Trading System tax bill of €27m – and is braced for a similar programme in the UK – and still has half of its UK Covid bail-out loan to pay off. It is also citing “unfair” competition in parts of the English Channel and cost of living concerns for the cost cutting move.

“Difficult decisions are necessary to manage the future. A project has been initiated to allocate resources more efficiently, including consolidating services where necessary and operating with a cleaner and more efficient fleet,” the company said.

“Brittany Ferries has a track record in adapting its business to long- and short-term challenges,” said Christophe Mathieu, CEO

Brittany Ferries. “We overcame Covid when borders were shut, we continue to wrestle with the consequences of Brexit and we are taking steps to make a holiday in France or Spain as reasonable as possible.

“But we have to be realistic. We need adapt and that means a plan to secure a future that will continue to bring opportunities for all those who live and work in the regions we serve.  We have informed our ports and will work with everyone affected on this plan for the future.”