On Friday 28 March, Brittany Ferries marked a significant milestone with the blessing and official naming of its second hybrid vessel, GUILLAUME DE NORMANDIE. The ceremony was led by Monseigneur Dominique Lebrun, Archbishop of Rouen, and the ship was named in line with maritime tradition by British sailor Miranda Merron, who had the honour of serving as godmother.
Powered by a hybrid LNG-electric propulsion system, the French-flagged ship is a cornerstone of Brittany Ferries’ commitment to greener cross-Channel transport.
Since April 2nd, all EU citizens travelling to the United Kingdom will need to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before entering the country. The new requirement forms part of the UK’s broader border control reforms post-Brexit.
The ETA is mandatory for visa-exempt travellers, including those from the EU, and must be applied for online prior to travel. It grants permission to enter the UK for tourism, business, or transit purposes and is valid for multiple visits over a two-year period.
More than just the beginning of a new ship, the steel-cutting ceremony marks the proud restart of shipbuilding in Flensburg. Following the bankruptcy, the yard is once again beginning construction—this time on a new RoRo vessel.
The contracted RoRo vessel with a length of 210 metres and a width of 29.30 metres is scheduled for delivery to SeaRoad in Q3, 2026.
It will have 3,722 lane metres available for freight units, plus capacity for 101 cars (= 4,227 lane metres in total). A special requirement for the vessel is the capability to transport heavy cargo with a unit weight of up to 100 tonnes.
Source: FSG on Linkedin