New 'greener' cross-channel ferries for Portsmouth
Brittany Ferries has ordered two hybrid ships for routes to France
Cleaner, greener cross-channel ferries are coming to Portsmouth.
Brittany Ferries has ordered two hybrid ships which can run on gas and battery power or a combination of both.
They are due to enter service on routes to Saint-Malo and Caen in 2024 and 2025.
The ships will replace Bretagne and Normandie, the oldest ferries in the company's fleet.
Christophe Mathieu, chief executive officer of Brittany Ferries, said: "Fleet renewal is not a choice for Brittany Ferries; it is an imperative to secure our future.
"Our customers rightly demand cleaner, greener vessels and our port partners expect us to be good neighbours.
"Furthermore, we will certainly face tighter regulation in the years ahead.
"The future of our company depends upon our ability to rise to the challenge today, to prepare for tomorrow.
"That is why I am so proud to announce these new vessels.
"They bring with them a host of innovations just as Bretagne and Normandie did when they were launched.
"Both vessels have served us well and we are grateful for the support of the regions that bear their name.
"They are much loved by customers and crew, but now is the time for us to look to the future and to plan for a brighter future, even as we battle the crisis we face today."