Brittany Ferries new LNG-electric hybrid ship Saint-Malo called into Portsmouth for the first time this week. She arrived and subsequently departed Portsmouth Harbour on pure battery power.

Saint-Malo’s first commercial voyage to the eponymous Corsair city will take place on 12 February 2025. This week’s sneak preview coincided with ramp trials in Portsmouth International Port and various operational tests to prepare her for service.

While the first call of Saint-Malo generated plenty of noise and fanfare, there was nothing to see from her funnel. In fact, there were no emissions whatsoever; neither climate change gases like carbon dioxide nor air quality pollutants like soot or NOx (nitrogen dioxide).

“This week we turned the page on a new chapter in the history of Brittany Ferries,” said Christophe Mathieu CEO Brittany Ferries. “it’s a story of sustainable growth and Saint-Malo reflects this commitment to the future.

“Residents and port partners will certainly have heard and seen her first arrival, thanks to water-cannon and welcoming fog horns. But they won’t have seen anything untoward from her funnel. That’s because she ran in and out of the harbour on pure electric power – and will continue to do so as she serves Portsmouth in the years to come.”

Cleaner and greener, Saint-Malo is the fourth new vessel to join the Brittany Ferries’ fleet (between 2019 and 2025). It’s all part of the largest fleet renewal programme in the company’s 52-year history.

Saint-Malo is also the biggest hybrid vessel ever to enter service – with the largest battery pack. She proudly wears the name of one of one of the most glamourous destinations in Brittany Ferries portfolio, a name steeped in maritime history.

Like a hybrid car, Saint-Malo runs on cleaner LNG (liquefied natural gas), battery power or a combination of the two. That means lower emissions at sea, while manoeuvring and while berthed in port.  Crucially, it means zero emissions when entering and exiting Portsmouth Harbour.

Like sister ship Guillaume de Normandie, arriving in March, Saint-Malo will be shore-power capable. She can be plugged in during calls and will be a better neighbour to those who live and work around ports.

“The arrival of Saint-Malo is the latest step in our long-standing partnership with Brittany Ferries, and also marks a big milestone in our shared sustainability ambitions,” added Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council.”

“Not only will Saint-Malo be the first to use LNG bunkering in Portsmouth, but she will also be ready to receive clean electricity from our shore power system when it goes live later this year, making her journeys greener and improving air quality for the city.

“Saint-Malo’s arrival is testament to the environmental commitments we share with Brittany Ferries, and we’re sure all of her passengers will be delighted with the experience she will deliver.”

Hybrid power is certainly Saint-Malo’s party piece. But the onboard experience has been key to her conception too. If Brittany Ferries Bretagne was a love letter to the past, the vessel that replaces her is an homage to the modern, vibrant Brittany of today.

Brittany Ferries contributed €231 million to the Brittany region thanks to the tourists it carried last year. So it’s no surprise that Saint-Malo will continue to present a taster of the regions treasures, hosting fabulous restaurants, beautiful art, spacious cabins and an exclusive club lounge. Passengers will feel they are in Brittany the moment they step on board.

The ship offers improved comfort and accessibility for passengers too. This includes a more spacious garage (car deck), wider interior spaces and more comfortable beds than the ship she replaces. Her ten decks house 387 cabins, 28 of which will be pet-friendly. Down Fido. Her capacity is for 1,290 passengers.

Saint-Malo proudly flies the French flag. She will be crewed by French seafarers, with pay and working conditions that lead the ferry sector.