Brittany Ferries’ LNG-Powered Honfleur Launched in Germany
Brittany Ferries’ brand new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-powered cruise ferry Honfleur took to the water for the first time in November at a traditional ship launching ceremony at the FSG shipyard in Flensburg, Germany. The launch is the third milestone in the construction of Honfleur, following cutting of the first steel in March, and laying of the keel in August. Since the keel was laid, 118 huge steel hull sections have been welded together on the slipway to create the 10,000 tonne six-storey vessel. The completed hull already contains all the ship’s main machinery including its efficient and environmentally-friendly LNG-electric propulsion system. Altogether Honfleur will carry up to 1,680 passengers and will offer 261 cabins, two cinemas, restaurants, boutique shopping and choice of spacious passenger lounges Honfleur will be an environmental pioneer on the English Channel. When it enters service it will be the first ship on the Channel to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). LNG provides major environmental advantages, reducing carbon dioxide, and cutting sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate emissions to almost zero. The ship’s hull has been hydro-dynamically optimised; this combined with gas-electric propulsion machinery will reduce energy consumption while improving onboard comfort and minimising vibration and noise levels. The ship will complete a series of sea trials before the first passengers board the vessel on the Portsmouth to Caen/Ouistreham route in summer 2019. The route is Brittany Ferries’ most popular carrying around 1 million passengers, 300,000 cars and 100,000 freight units each year. “Honfleur will be the largest and greenest ship that Brittany Ferries has ever operated – she’ll also be the smartest: packed with new technology, innovation and comforts”, said Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries. “It’s a statement of our commitment to fleet renewal and long-term, sustainable development. And it will be the first of three new ships to be delivered post-Brexit, all part of a €450m investment programme to make Brittany Ferries fit for the future.”
https://www.ngvglobal.com/blog/brittany-ferries-lng-powered-honfleur-launched-1219
