• Between the coronavirus crisis and Brexit, Brittany Ferries has had two turbulent years.

  • Refloated, the Breton shipping company regained its colors in 2022 with 1.7 million passengers transported.

  • However, it is struggling to regain its pre-crisis level.

Hit hard by the coronavirus crisis and Brexit, Brittany Ferries narrowly avoided sinking.

But the state had come to the aid of the Breton shipping company by releasing exceptional aid of 45 million euros a year ago.

Its ships have since returned to sea and carried around 1.7 million travelers this year.

Brittany Ferries is, however, struggling to regain its cruising speed.

In 2019, the company had thus made travel 2.27 million people on its lines.

If the connections between France and Ireland and between the United Kingdom and Spain are booming, those between France and England are suffering on the other hand with a drop in attendance of 35% compared to 2019.

For Christophe Mathieu, Chairman of the Management Board of Brittany Ferries, the Channel is also "a major concern" for the company.

In question, “the reopening of the French borders in mid-January 2022 which had a strong impact on the holiday plans of the British on the one hand, and on the other hand, the passports made compulsory for French passengers traveling to the United Kingdom. “, He explains in a press release, calling for “concerted action by tourism players in France and the United Kingdom” to “revitalize the market and stimulate demand for 2023.”

A new ship commissioned

Freight activity is also struggling to return to 2019 levels with a 27% decline on the routes between France and Great Britain and 22% between Great Britain and Spain.

Those between France and Ireland, on the other hand, exploded with a volume of activity up 606% compared to 2019. “Brexit has created opportunities for the development of direct maritime routes to Ireland, avoiding the transit of freight by the United Kingdom", explains Christophe Mathieu.

On the occasion of the publication of its 2022 results, Brittany Ferries also announces the commissioning since last week of its latest ship, the

Salamanca

, which now provides connections between Rosslare in Ireland and Bilbao and Cherbourg.

It will be followed in February by the

Santoña

.

Economy

Brittany: Brittany Ferries is renewing its fleet in an attempt to get back on track

Economy

Brexit: Brittany Ferries opens a service between Le Havre and Ireland

  • Transportation

  • Brittany

  • Sea

  • Boat

  • Vessel

  • Brexit

  • UK

  • Company