Cap Finistere alongside at Rosslare this afternoon. Pics from Rosslare Europort twitter

Thanks for posting, the Cap Finestre looks very impressive (pity about the funnel no longer having its Superfast wings), could stay around for awhile if BF can take some of the freight traffic when Connemara returns.

Interesting video of a journey to Spain on the brand new Galicia. Take 10 minutes sit back and relax.

https://youtu.be/atIaiAM6EP4

At the way things are going, might be the closest we get to being on a ferry this year !!, found it very interesting and well presented, however the full English breakfast in Stena + on the Stena Europe would blow this breakfast experience out of the water.

Originally posted on BF forum by the video poster - Behind the Sax

https://bfenthusiasts.com/bfe/topic/13687-2-galicia-passenger-videos-first-on-yt/

Looks like another BF service starting soon from St Malo to Ireland. Amorique being mentioned on various forums as the vessel.

https://twitter.com/jmrouebferries/status/1353794736319066112

Looks like another BF service starting soon from St Malo to Ireland. Amorique being mentioned on various forums as the vessel.

https://twitter.com/jmrouebferries/status/1353794736319066112

Will this be the first ever service between Ireland and St Malo?

Will this be the first ever service between Ireland and St Malo?

No it wont be BF ran a Cork St Malo service in mid 90s using the Duchess Anne (once B&I Connacht). Couple of pics from 1994





There was also a short lived service run by Swansea Cork Ferries in 1999 using the MV Venus (ex Dana Hafnia) pictured here at Ringaskiddy


 

Thanks for the info CCS. I had no knowledge of that service but I do remember travelling on the Connacht from Dublin to Liverpool in about 85 or 86.

https://brittanyferriesnewsroom.com/go-west-to-take-unaccompanied-freight-by-sea-says-brittany-ferries/

Plans are in progress to open further freight routes, connecting Roscoff and St Malo in Brittany, with Ireland. The aim is to finalise schedules as soon as possible and to commence operations in early February using Ro-Pax vessel Armorique.

https://brittanyferriesnewsroom.com/go-west-to-take-unaccompanied-freight-by-sea-says-brittany-ferries/

Plans are in progress to open further freight routes, connecting Roscoff and St Malo in Brittany, with Ireland. The aim is to finalise schedules as soon as possible and to commence operations in early February using Ro-Pax vessel Armorique.

Sounds like they are talking to both Cork and Rosslare.

Amoriques Cork-Roscoff sailings are now on the February freight timetable. Starting February 6th ex Cork on Saturdays at 18.00 and Tuesdays at 20.00
Nothing yet on St Malo though as theyre only showing 1 sailing ex Roscoff on Mondays at 20.00 I assume the St Malo sailing will be ex there on Friday night to tie in with the Saturday sailing ex Cork. 

BF have just made the announcement, interesting routing!

Brittany Ferrries introduces three new freight-only services from Ireland to France
2nd February 2021

Company responds to demand for more direct Ireland France freight links

• Two new sailings Cork ? Roscoff
• New sailing Rosslare - St Malo
• First freight only services for Ireland from Brittany Ferries
• New services to begin this week with Rosslare ? St Malo sailing on Thursday
• New Cork - Roscoff service begins on Saturday

Brittany Ferries has announced that it is introducing three new weekly freight only sailings between Ireland and France. The sailings will begin this Thursday (4th February) with a sailing between Rosslare and St Malo.

The first of two new sailings out of Cork to Roscoff will begin this Saturday. These sailings are in addition to the current Brittany Ferries sailings out of Cork and Rosslare to both France and Spain. The new sailings are in response to demands from both Irish and French hauliers seeking a more direct route.

Normally most lorries travelling between Ireland and France transit via the UK, using ferry services across the Irish Sea and English Channel. However, since new post-Brexit trade rules were introduced on January 1st increasing numbers of Irish and continental hauliers have been deterred from using this ?landbridge? due to increased customs checks and paperwork.

 Hugh Bruton, General Manager, Brittany Ferries Ireland, commented: ?It?s clear that Brexit has distorted flows of trade between France and Ireland, there?s now clear and compelling demand both in Brittany and beyond to boost freight capacity direct from the region to Ireland. And Irish traders too are seeking direct links to Western France. We?re always listening to our haulier customers in order to best meet their needs and we look forward to restarting Brittany-Ireland services two months earlier than planned.?

The new Brittany-to-Ireland sailings come in addition to an extra weekly Rosslare to Cherbourg round trip which was introduced in mid-January. This means that from February Brittany Ferries will offer hauliers a choice of eight sailings a week in each direction between Ireland and France.

The company also offers two weekly roundtrips between Rosslare and Bilbao, northern Spain. Altogether the company will be offering 12 sailings a week linking Ireland with France and Spain.

Conor Mowlds, Chief Commercial Officer, Port of Cork said: ?The decision by Brittany Ferries to operate two freight only services from Cork to St Malo and Roscoff is hugely positive for Cork. Importers and exporters now have further transport options to get their freight direct to the EU and bypass the UK Land-Bridge. This announcement comes in the same month as we announced a second freight service from Cork to Zeebrugge. These direct freight services from Cork to the EU strengthen the region by offering more flexibility to Irish customers, ensuring supply chains are maintained. Our relationship with Brittany Ferries spans over 40 years and it continues to go from strength to strength. We wish them every success with this freight service.?

Glenn Carr, General Manager, Rosslare Europort adds: ?The continuing commitment of Brittany Ferries to develop new services linking Irish industry to the European continent is once again demonstrated with this new service connecting to St Malo and Roscoff.  We have worked closely with Brittany Ferries to facilitate this new service, which will give further choice and capacity alongside existing Brittany Ferries services between Rosslare Europort and Bilbao and Cherbourg.?

The extra sailings starting 4th February will operate to the following timetable, initially until 21st March when regular Roscoff/Cork sailings are scheduled to resume:

Day	Departure	Time	Arrival	Next day time
Monday	Depart Roscoff	20:00	Arrive Cork	14:00 next day
Tuesday	Depart Cork	20:00	Arrive Roscoff	14:00 next day
Wednesday	Depart Roscoff	20:00	Arrive Rosslare	14:00 next day
Thursday	Depart Rosslare	20:00	Arrive St Malo	17:10 next day
Friday	Depart St Malo	20:00	Arrive Cork	15:00 next day
Saturday	Depart Cork	18:00	Arrive Roscoff	12:40 next day

   
(Timetables are subject to weekly variation and change at short notice)

These new freight only routes will operate until the end of March, when scheduled freight and passenger services will resume between Cork and Roscoff. With two weekly sailings in each direction, frequency has been doubled for 2021.

Two new ferry links to France from Cork from Brittany Ferries to start this weekend

"Hugely positive" news for Cork as Leeside gets a Brexit Bounce on trade

By Joe O'Shea Editor
10:05, 2 FEB 2021 UPDATED10:22, 2 FEB 2021

This is an edited extract...

..."Plans for a new direct freight and passenger service from Cork to Santander in Spain - which were at an advanced stage before the pandemic hit - could also now be revived as trade and traffic between our south coast and France and Spain increases dramatically.

And Brittany Ferries is understood to be still considering new Ro-Pax (freight and passenger) routes out of Cork for the Spring/Summer season, once travel returns to normal.

A Port of Cork spokesperson has welcomed the news - confirmed today - as "hugely positive" for Cork and trade across our region...."

I did not pick up on a possible revival of Cork to Santander in any of the other publicity surrounding route additions and changes. The Cork to Santander ferry link by Brittany Ferries had only ceased operations around 12 months ago and was replaced by Rosslare to Bilbao in the process.

Full article published in CorkBeo.ie (See below web link)
Source:
https://www.corkbeo.ie/news/jobs/two-new-ferry-links-france-19750178

Meanwhile I understand from the Brittany Ferries website that the following sailings, are due to operate to/from Santander instead of Bilbao as per the below dates only for some reason.

Rosslare to Santander on 12/02/2021 (instead of Rosslare to Bilbao)
Santander to Rosslare on 14/02/2021 (instead of Bilbao to Rosslare)

Source:
https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/ferry-routes/planning/sailing-updates#IE

All bets are off regarding route options in this rapidly evolving post Brexit trade situation not to mention the ongoing COVID-19 non-essential travel restrictions scenario. There was also speculation from some quarters in recent weeks/months of a possible link between Ireland & Le Havre in France.

Irish Continental Group (ICG) used have Rosslare to Le Havre services from around 1973 to 1997 and there was also an annual summer seasonal link between Cork to Le Havre & Cherbourg for many years until Irish Ferries took both the St.Killian II and St. Patrick II vessels out of service following the introduction of the MV Normandy from the 1998 season onwards.

Source Ref:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/cork-loses-out-as-ferry-company-announces-plans-for-new-ship-1.128038#:~:text=The%20vessel%20is%20replacing%20the,said%20a%20company%20spokesman%20yesterday.

Few pics of Armorique arriving in Rosslare earlier this afternoon from Rosslare Europort twitter

The Brittany Ferries Cork to France passenger service will not be resuming at the end of March, the company has announced. Due to the current travel restrictions, the ferry service said the route will be kept under review and it is anticipated that services will recommence in mid-May

https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40228751.html

Armorique sailing from Rosslare to Cork tonight !

According to BFE

Due to poor weather...

18/2/21 - ARMORIQUE Rosslare - St Malo - cancelled.

19/2/21 - ARMORIQUE St Malo - Cork - cancelled.

18/2/21 - CONNEMARA Bilbao - Rosslare - cancelled

19/2/21 - CONNEMARA Rosslare - Bilbao - cancelled.


https://bfenthusiasts.com/bfe/topic/13685-sailing-updates-2021-latest-news/page/4/