Brittany Ferries swaps traditional cross-channel sailing for spin around the Isle of Wight for special birthday celebration
Ferry company marked two golden milestones with unique day cruise from Portsmouth
Two special birthdays were celebrated as Brittany Ferries took a deviation from their usual cross-channel routes for a spin around the Isle of Wight.
Yesterday’s one-off circumnavigation formed part of this year’s golden anniversary of Portsmouth International Port and marked 50 years to the day that the ferry company set sail from the city for the first time to St Malo.
Civic dignitaries and teams from the port and Brittany Ferries were joined by special guests on board Saint-Malo, the newest vessel in the fleet and an LNG-electric hybrid, powered by a combination of greener liquefied natural gas and electricity. The ship is also plug-in ready and will benefit from the completion of the shore power installation work at the port which is close to being ready to go-live, providing shore connections to Saint-Malo, her sister Guillaume de Normandie and cruise ships that bring thousands of visitors to the city.
Welcoming guests on board with a champagne reception to the sounds of the Brossard string quartet, ship’s Captain Olivier Raimbeaux said: ‘I am very proud to sail with you on this very important occasion. I have been a Brittany Ferries captain for 15 years and I have been lucky enough to sail on some of the most beautiful ships in the fleet.
‘But I can tell you this ship is amazing - she is truly a step forward for all my crew and most importantly for all our passengers. I hope you enjoy the benefits hybrid power brings - lower emissions, hardly any vibrations and very little noise.’
Brittany Ferries' chief executive Christophe Mathieu agreed that the sailing around the island was ‘a very special occasion for us and our friends at Portsmouth International Port’. He added: ‘Today is 50 years to the day since the first voyage to leave Portsmouth to St Malo. Since that time we think that more than six million people have taken the ferry to St Malo to enjoy the beautiful region of Brittany.
‘At Brittany Ferries we are very proud to be French but we are also extremely grateful of our custom base which is British - Brit-tany Ferries, Brit-ish. We are as British as French and for us the port of Portsmouth is fundamental as a partner because it is by far our main port. We look forward to another 50 years of partnership in beautiful Pompey.’
Mike Sellers, Portsmouth International Port director, described how in early 1975 a group of Breton farmers announced a plan to reopen the historic link with the UK from St Malo to get their goods to market across the channel. They used a pencil and a string on a map and drew an arc to find the best location to do a 24-hour turnaround and Portsmouth became their preferred location.
A new berth was constructed in 100 days for less than £1m allowing that first sailing on June 17, 1976.
Mr Sellers said that the friendship, support and commitment over the last five decades from Brittany Ferries was highly valued, a view endorsed by city council leader Steve Pitt.
Cllr Pitt added: ‘We need to roll all the way back to that group of Breton farmers and a visionary city council in Portsmouth who thought this is what we should be investing in, the future of our city. How well it has served us ever since.
‘These relationships change and evolve on a regular basis but we have always managed to keep that core relationship between the council, the port and Brittany Ferries very close to the centre of everything we have done and that is why it has been a great success.’