The Portsmouth International Port has announced the signing of a 20-year contract with the European ferry operator Brittany Ferries.
This new firm commitment means that Brittany Ferries will be operating from the Portsmouth International Port until 2044, with the partnership expected to generate an estimated £200m in revenue over 20 years for the council-owned port, according to the port.
The port welcomes more than 1.5 million Brittany Ferries passengers annually, making it one of the UK’s most popular ferry routes for travelling to France and Spain.
Also freight from Spain and France relies on Brittany Ferries crossing as an essential trade route for the UK and Europe, with 200,000 lorries travelling through the port every year.
Over the coming months works take place to accommodate Brittany Ferries’ two new hybrid ships, which are expected to replace some of the current fleet serving routes from the city to France.
The two new ships “Saint-Malo” and “Guillaume de Normandie” will be shore power ready, equipped with large batteries, running on electric power when manoeuvring and alongside in port.
Brittany Ferries first sailed into Portsmouth International Port in 1976 as one of its earliest customers.
