Brittany Ferries launch Cork - Santander route

[PaddyL]

The ship is the Asterion, previously the Norman Asturias.

BRITTANY FERRIES CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY WITH LAUNCH OF NEW DIRECT IRELAND TO SPAIN ROUTE IN 2018

16 January 2018

•   First ever direct ferry link between Ireland and Spain
•   Two direct sailings weekly from Cork to Santander
•   New route to go on sale end January

16 January 2018: Brittany Ferries has today announced a new route into northern Spain. Starting at the end of April, the service will link Cork and Santander, making two return-sailings a week. The move will be the first time there has ever been a ferry service linking Ireland and Spain.

Today's announcement comes as Brittany Ferries celebrates its 40th year in Ireland. The popular Cork to Roscoff route opened on St Patricks Day in 1978 and has been serving Irish holiday makers and haulage companies ever since. It has also brought millions of French passengers to Ireland, boosting the local and national economy.

A new ship will be chartered to serve the route to Spain, and to deliver an additional weekly return-sailing from Cork to Roscoff. To be called Connemara, she will follow the successful économie model that the company has established on services from the UK to France & Spain. As well as opening a new route Connemara will add much needed capacity to the company's existing line to France, creating more opportunities for short breaks.

"This is a significant move for Brittany Ferries, offering haulage companies a direct route to Spain and passengers a far greater range of holiday options from Cork," said Hugh Bruton, general manager Brittany Ferries Ireland. "As a destination so-called green Spain promises visitors a wealth of opportunities. It hosts sweeping sandy beaches, snow covered mountains just an hour from the port, fabulous food and offers visitors a welcome as warm as the Spanish will receive when they join us in Ireland."

The ship is currently operating on routes between Italy and Greece and will be chartered from Stena RoRo for an initial period of two years. She will carry around 500 passengers with space for 195 cars. She hosts 2,225 lane metres of garage space and Brittany Ferries expects a fifty-fifty split between passengers and freight carried.

The Port of Cork welcomed the announcement which will facilitate and enhance significant freight and tourist activity already established in Cork. Commercial Manager Captain Michael McCarthy said, "The Port of Cork wholeheartedly welcomes a service we have been trying as a port to establish for some time now. We are delighted that our long term customer, Brittany Ferries, has committed to this new service which will see an increase in tourism and freight.  The option for freight carriers to bypass the UK land bridge will be seen as very attractive, as Brexit uncertainty continues. We have no doubt that both exporters and importers will make this a viable service.'


On board, passengers can expect a comfortable, no-frills service with a distinctly Spanish theme. Dining options will reflect the regions served, reinforcing the company's drive to reveal more about its destinations at every stage of the journey. There will also be a small shop and café-bar as well as passenger lounges.

Interior and exterior cabins are spacious, with beds for up to four passengers. Four-legged members of the family will also be accommodated thanks to a small allocation of pet-friendly cabins on the ship.

The new service from Brittany Ferries is expected to be on sale by the end of January.
Ends.

[ferryfan]

The ship is believed to be Stena Asterion (formerly the Norman Asturias). This is great news for Cork and Ireland and could prove to be a very lucrative route especially for freight.

[ccs]

Excellent news. Any indication yet of sailing days and times?

[Meet the dockers]

That's got to be at least a 24 hour sailing......

[ferryfan]

Have to be honest and say I would not relish spending 24 hours on a Visentini but I probaly will. Also have to wonder about the name and wonder if the owners have ever seen a map of Ireland and noticed where Conemara is.

[PaddyL]

Roro freight is an almost unknown quantity at Cork.  Brittany Ferries' current route to Roscoff rarely carries over 5 freight units per sailing.

So it remains to be seen if hauliers use a port with a single, few times a week service with hubs and more options elsewhere.

Possibly it wil grow over time with work but I think it will at least take time.

The passenger capacity isn't massive but I am sure it will be easy to fill that space in summer even if ship isn't a cruise ferry.

[awaityourreply]

The ship is the Asterion, previously the Norman Asturias.

BRITTANY FERRIES CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY WITH LAUNCH OF NEW DIRECT IRELAND TO SPAIN ROUTE IN 2018

16 January 2018

•   First ever direct ferry link between Ireland and Spain
•   Two direct sailings weekly from Cork to Santander
•   New route to go on sale end January

16 January 2018: Brittany Ferries has today announced a new route into northern Spain. Starting at the end of April, the service will link Cork and Santander, making two return-sailings a week. The move will be the first time there has ever been a ferry service linking Ireland and Spain.

Today's announcement comes as Brittany Ferries celebrates its 40th year in Ireland. The popular Cork to Roscoff route opened on St Patricks Day in 1978 and has been serving Irish holiday makers and haulage companies ever since. It has also brought millions of French passengers to Ireland, boosting the local and national economy.

A new ship will be chartered to serve the route to Spain, and to deliver an additional weekly return-sailing from Cork to Roscoff. To be called Connemara, she will follow the successful économie model that the company has established on services from the UK to France & Spain. As well as opening a new route Connemara will add much needed capacity to the company's existing line to France, creating more opportunities for short breaks.

"This is a significant move for Brittany Ferries, offering haulage companies a direct route to Spain and passengers a far greater range of holiday options from Cork," said Hugh Bruton, general manager Brittany Ferries Ireland. "As a destination so-called green Spain promises visitors a wealth of opportunities. It hosts sweeping sandy beaches, snow covered mountains just an hour from the port, fabulous food and offers visitors a welcome as warm as the Spanish will receive when they join us in Ireland."

The ship is currently operating on routes between Italy and Greece and will be chartered from Stena RoRo for an initial period of two years. She will carry around 500 passengers with space for 195 cars. She hosts 2,225 lane metres of garage space and Brittany Ferries expects a fifty-fifty split between passengers and freight carried.

The Port of Cork welcomed the announcement which will facilitate and enhance significant freight and tourist activity already established in Cork. Commercial Manager Captain Michael McCarthy said, "The Port of Cork wholeheartedly welcomes a service we have been trying as a port to establish for some time now. We are delighted that our long term customer, Brittany Ferries, has committed to this new service which will see an increase in tourism and freight.  The option for freight carriers to bypass the UK land bridge will be seen as very attractive, as Brexit uncertainty continues. We have no doubt that both exporters and importers will make this a viable service.'


On board, passengers can expect a comfortable, no-frills service with a distinctly Spanish theme. Dining options will reflect the regions served, reinforcing the company's drive to reveal more about its destinations at every stage of the journey. There will also be a small shop and café-bar as well as passenger lounges.

Interior and exterior cabins are spacious, with beds for up to four passengers. Four-legged members of the family will also be accommodated thanks to a small allocation of pet-friendly cabins on the ship.

The new service from Brittany Ferries is expected to be on sale by the end of January.
Ends.

Indeed it is great news for the Port of Cork who have had a long association with ferry operator, Brittany Ferries. I believe Brittany Ferries may have been the first ferry operator to launch passenger/freight ferry services out of the then new Ringaskiddy terminal back in 1978 at a time when other passenger ferry services such as the old B+I Line Cork to Swansea service was still departing via the Port of Cork's former Ferryport previously based out of Tivoli docks just outside of Cork City. Also great news to hear that the new charter service for Cork-Santander will result in an additional weekly return sailing from Cork to Roscoff too! All these options will hopefully lead to increased competition in terms of pricing across various services & carriers.

Source:
https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/travel-news/first-ever-direct-ferry-route-announced-from-ireland-to-spain-36493404.html

[ccs]

Excellent news. Any indication yet of sailing days and times?

Answering my own question to an extent  ;D but apparently the departures from Santander on Thursdays (16.00 Hours) and Sundays (12.00 hours).  Based on this I assume the extra weekly trip to Roscoff will depart Cork Monday evening with the return leg from Roscoff on Tuesday afternoon.

[giftgrub]

Another week into 2018 and more capacity added on services to and from Ireland, great news.

Will it possibly be the kiss of death for the Neptune lines Rosslare - Santander service which departs every Saturday.

Will be interesting to see if BF invest a few euro on the chartered vessel to improve the onboard experience, a 26hr+ time onboard will be very different from the Pont Aven experience.

Looking forward to getting some images of the Connemara when it arrives in Ringaskiddy, also given Stena's relationship with H&W Belfast, wonder will the Stena RoRo owned vessel refit in Belfast before starting the service.

[RorieLen]

Another week into 2018 and more capacity added on services to and from Ireland, great news.

Will it possibly be the kiss of death for the Neptune lines Rosslare - Santander service which departs every Saturday.

Will be interesting to see if BF invest a few euro on the chartered vessel to improve the onboard experience, a 26hr+ time onboard will be very different from the Pont Aven experience.

Looking forward to getting some images of the Connemara when it arrives in Ringaskiddy, also given Stena's relationship with H&W Belfast, wonder will the Stena RoRo owned vessel refit in Belfast before starting the service.

I believe H&W is already fully booked with upcoming jobs including a heavy lift job plus Azamara Pursuit. Also worth remembering, it was Stena Line who used the Belfast yard and not Stena RoRo - they are two separate entities.

[IFPete]

Stena also use Falmouth

[ccs]

According to today,s Examiner the sailing days and times ex Cork for Spain are Wednesdays 11am and Fridays at 1030pm. That late Friday departure will mean 2 nights on board and a very early arrival in Santander.  That would see to suggest that the extra Cork Roscoff sailing will be on Monday evening with the return leg leaving Roscoff on Tuesday evening.

[Kieran]

Excellent news, great work by the Port of Cork (and Brittany Ferries).

Will it possibly be the kiss of death for the Neptune lines Rosslare - Santander service which departs every Saturday.

I was under the impression Neptune Lines only imported cars, and didn't carry trailers?

[giftgrub]

From BFE forum rumoured / educated guess at sailing times

Monday:  1300 arr CORK;  1830 dep CORK

Tuesday:  0930 arr ROSCOFF;  1800 dep ROSCOFF

Wednesday:  0700 arr CORK;  1100 dep CORK

Thursday:  1400 arr SANTANDER;  1700 dep SANTANDER

Friday:  1800 arr CORK;  2230 dep CORK

Saturday:  At Sea

Sunday:  0800 arr SANTANDER;  1200 dep SANTANDER

http://bfenthusiasts.com/bfe/topic/11636-cork-to-santander-route-set-to-launch/?page=5

Would be some "day trip" to do the Friday night outbound and back to Cork lunchtime Monday.

Going to be interesting to see in operation
, LD Lines Rosslare Spain service was plagued by bad weather cancellations even with a day in Rosslare scheduled in for delays.

[giftgrub]

Excellent news, great work by the Port of Cork (and Brittany Ferries).

Will it possibly be the kiss of death for the Neptune lines Rosslare - Santander service which departs every Saturday.

I was under the impression Neptune Lines only imported cars, and didn't carry trailers?

Hi Kieran, they do seem to carry a limited amount of trailers, have not seem them going actually going on, but have heard reports of trailers being loaded before departure.