Brittany Ferries trims fleet amid rising ETS and operating costs
French ferry operator Brittany Ferries will sell two vessels and adjust parts of its route network in response to rising operating costs and emissions-related charges amid loan repayments.
IMAGE: LNG dual-fuel ferry, Saint Malo. Brittany Ferries
The company has already repaid half of its French government-backed Covid loan provided during the pandemic, with the remainder still outstanding.
It said the outstanding loan repayments, combined with rising emissions trading costs, are adding to its financial burden.
Brittany Ferries expects to face an EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) bill of around €27 million ($30 million) in 2026. The introduction of the UK ETS is also expected to add further costs for vessels operating in British waters, the company said.
As part of its cost-cutting plan, Brittany Ferries will close its Poole-Cherbourg route from November 2026 and sell the ferry Barfleur. A daily Portsmouth-Cherbourg service will operate instead.
The company will also sell Cotentin, which currently operates between Cherbourg and Rosslare. The route will continue to be served by other vessels.
Brittany Ferries is also considering closing its Portsmouth-Le Havre route from October 2026, citing competition on the Eastern Channel from the subsidised Dieppe-Newhaven route.
From 1 November 2026, services linking Guernsey, Poole and Cherbourg will be reorganised.
Brittany Ferries' Islander will operate on a triangular route from Portsmouth to Guernsey, Guernsey to Cherbourg and Cherbourg to Portsmouth, while the high-speed craft Voyager will continue serving Poole-Guernsey, with an option to continue to St Malo.
Brittany Ferries currently operates a fleet of 13 vessels, five of which are equipped with dual-fuel LNG propulsion.
Repsol and Titan have separately supplied liquefied biomethane (LBM) to three of these vessels under supply agreements over the past two years, but operator has not confirmed whether any of these vessels have been included in FuelEU Maritime pooling arrangements.
By Konica Bhatt
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