Brittany Ferries: First LNG-electric ferry embarks on sea trials

A hybrid ferry with the ‘world’s largest battery’ fitted to a ship has taken to the water, French shipping company Brittany Ferries said.

The new eco-friendly roll-on/roll-off passenger (RoPax) ship Saint-Malo is currently on sea trials to test its LNG-electric drivetrain.

The 194.7-meter-long newbuild is expected to arrive in the UK to serve the Portsmouth to St Malo route early next year, with the first sailing scheduled for February 12, 2025.

Its launch – and that of sister ship Guillaume de Normandie in April – coincides with the installation of plug-in power at Portsmouth International Port. This will be only the second port in the UK with shore power capability, and the only ferry port.

Hybrid ships work like hybrid cars — they run on gas, battery power or a combination of the two. Apart from achieving lower emissions at sea, less noise and vibration, the ships will be better neighbors to those working in and around ports. When maneuvering and when alongside at quai, they will run on pure battery power.

“Saint-Malo will be the fourth new vessel to join our fleet, part of the biggest fleet renewal project in our company’s 52-year history,” Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries, commented.

“These hybrid ships are significant steps on our journey to a more sustainable future.”

To remind, the two E-Flexer units were ordered by Swedish ferry operator Stena Line in China in July 2021. They will be operated under a long-term charter by Brittany Ferries.

Being built at CMI Jinling Shipyard in Weihai, Saint-Malo was launched in October last year.

It boasts batteries with a capacity of 11.5 MWh, which is double that typically used for hybrid propulsion in marine vessels. The batteries were provided by Swiss energy storage solutions company Leclanché.

Moreover, Dutch fuel supplier Titan Clean Fuels was contracted in 2022 to supply LNG and liquefied biomethane to the two RoPaxes.