Brittany Ferries extends contract with Portsmouth
Portsmouth International Port and Brittany Ferries, have extended their long-term agreement by another five years.
The operator has committed to Portsmouth until the end of 2031, during which time a further three ships will join the current fleet serving European routes from the city.
Alongside the Honfleur, Brittany Ferries’ state-of-the-art environmentally friendly ship powered by Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), new ferries Galicia and Salamanca, launching in 2021 and 2022 respectively, will both be based in Portsmouth.
Currently the port welcomes over 1.85 million Brittany Ferries’ passengers annually, making it one of the UK’s most popular routes for travelling to France and Spain.
Portsmouth port director Mike Sellers said: "This commitment from our largest customer helps to underpin significant capital investment and demonstrates the importance of our valued partnership with Brittany Ferries.
"As a major UK port and the most successful municipal port, we want to continue in making sure we meet industry expectations, and this means substantial improvements.
"We’re looking forward to working with Brittany Ferries to deliver the best experience for their customers, and for the benefit of the wider region, economically and environmentally, as we both have a shared goal to become the most sustainable port in the UK."
To make sure the port can meet its customers’ expectations recently £19m of investment was approved to transform the facilities and overhaul existing infrastructure.
The next priority is to replace the 30-year-old passenger boarding tower, required for foot passengers to get access onto the ships.
Major projects to improve facilities have already included a brand new energy efficient £9m linkspan, which is best described as a drawbridge to get cars and lorries on and off of ferries. This latest piece of infrastructure will be in place for the next 30 years.
Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu said: "Brittany Ferries is delighted to reaffirm its commitment to Portsmouth International Port, our international hub for operations serving France and Spain.
"Extending our relationship until 2032 will provide further certainty for future plans and supports the on-going investment we are making in fleet renewal."
Brittany Ferries first sailed into Portsmouth International Port in 1976 as one of its earliest customers. Owned and operated to this day by Portsmouth City Council, the port has worked closely with Brittany Ferries for the last 40 years.
It has been the one and only ferry operator to use the port on a constant basis during the last four decades.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season