Brittany Ferries’ new LNG-powered cruise ferry Honfleur took to the water for the first time on 14 December, floating out of her building dock at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) shipyard in Flensburg, Germany.
Representatives from Brittany Ferries and the shipyard were joined by invited guests as they watched Honfleur’s completed hull section float down the building dock slipway and into the Flensburg Fjord. Comprising 118 steel sections, the 10,000-ton, six-storey hull contains all of the ferry’s main machinery, including the LNG-electric propulsion system.
Soon, two ‘mega blocks’ that will form Honfleur’s superstructure will arrive at FSG’s yard from Poland and will be hoisted into place on the hull by two large cranes. Once the superstructure is complete, FSG’s team will work with key contractors and suppliers to outfit the interiors. The ferry will then undergo a series of sea trials before she officially begins service on the route between Portsmouth, England and Caen/Ouistreham, France in summer 2019.
“Now a new phase in Honfleur’s construction begins, as the superstructure is added and we work to prepare the ship to welcome its first customers this summer,” said Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries. “We can’t wait to show them everything Honfleur has to offer.”
Designed to represent a new generation of cross-Channel ferry, Honfleur combines a “state-of-the-art design and sustainable thinking with a smart, digitally informed customer experience,” according to Brittany Ferries. The vessel which will accommodate up to 1,680 passengers in 261 cabins, will offer two cinemas, restaurants, boutique shops and several spacious lounges.
Honfleur will also be the first ship to operate in the English Channel using LNG fuel, which will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions and virtually eliminate sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate emissions. The ferry’s hydrodynamic hull and the gas-electric propulsion machinery will also reduce energy consumption and minimise both vibration and noise levels thereby improving onboard comfort.
“Honfleur will be the largest and greenest ship that Brittany Ferries has ever operated – she’ll also be the smartest: packed with new technology, innovation and comforts,” said Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries. “It’s a statement of our commitment to fleet renewal and long-term, sustainable development. And it will be the first of three new ships to be delivered post-Brexit, all part of a €450 million investment programme to make Brittany Ferries fit for the future.”
Follow FSG’s progress on Honfleur.
| Caption | A rendering of Honfleur, which will begin services between England and France in summer 2019 (Image: Brittany Ferries) |