The first LNG (liquefied natural gas) powered passenger ferry to operate from Ireland sailed from Rosslare Europort this morning on its maiden voyage to Bilbao in Spain.
The Brittany Ferries' Salamanca LNG ferry replaces the mainly freight-carrying vessel the Connemara.
The company said it is seeing significant passenger growth on its routes with its Ireland-France routes up by 46% and its Ireland-Spain routes up 9% in 2022 compared with 2019.
Brittany Ferries said that as well as significantly increased capacity on the Rosslare-Bilbao route, the new Salamanca ferry also promises lower emissions and a smoother, quieter voyage for travellers.
Salamanca will sail from Rosslare to Bilbao twice weekly departing on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
As part of its overall fleet renewal plan, Brittany Ferries has invested in four LNG-powered vessels. The move includes two LNG-electric hybrid ships, which will arrive in 2024 and 2025 and will service UK and mainland European routes.
General Manager of Brittany Ferries in Ireland, Hugh Bruton, said that Salamanca will operate throughout the winter and into next summer on the Cherbourg and Bilbao to Rosslare routes.
"The aim is to grow by 50,000 the number of holidaymakers sailing between Ireland and Spain - as we have recognised that the demand is there," Mr Bruton said.
Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries, said the company has a responsibility to bring cleaner vessels to market, which is what we have done.
"LNG-powered ships such as the Salamanca are "cleaner today and greener tomorrow", which helps to future-proof our decarbonisation journey - ensuring we can continue to play our part in a more sustainable future," he added.
He also said the new cruise ferry to the route is not just about sustainability, but is about a commitment to Ireland and Spain and a desire to build a tourist route between two beautiful destinations.
"We have spent four years building freight connections - now is the time to focus on holiday-makers," he added.
