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Brittany Ferries reveals names of two new ships
Brittany Ferries’ two new ships arriving in 2021 and 2022 will be called Galicia and Salamanca.
The names were chosen following a competition among Brittany Ferries’ staff and follow confirmation of the ships’ charter last month.
Based in Portsmouth, both ships will serve long-haul routes to Spain where passenger traffic has grown by 80% in the last 10 years.
They represent the second and third new vessels to be delivered post-Brexit, after the arrival of Honfleur which is scheduled for 2019 and will serve Portsmouth-Caen.
"I’m delighted that we have chosen these beautiful names, which celebrate two fabulous destinations in Spain served by Brittany Ferries," said chief executive Christophe Mathieu. "The winners can be proud to have suggested names that will become part of the company’s history and we look forward to welcoming Galicia and Salamanca to the fleet."
Around 300 members of staff took part in the competition in May. Suggestions were made by those working on board and on shore, as well as in France, UK, Spain and Ireland.
The winners are Christophe Scherr a barman aboard Brittany Ferries Normandie and Pierre-Yves Prigent, from the IT team in Roscoff, France. Each wins a return sailing on the first commercial crossing for the ship they named.
Galicia and Salamanca represent the next step in a fleet renewal and an investment programme worth around €450 million for Brittany Ferries. Like Honfleur, both ships will be French flagged and will be crewed by French seafarers upon arrival in 2021 and 2022.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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