Brittany Ferries strengthens the Rosslare-Cherbourg route
Brittany Ferries has confirmed it will step in to fill the gap left by Stena Line’s withdrawal from the Rosslare-Cherbourg ferry route. The company, which is based in Cork and Rosslare, will increase both capacity and frequency of sailings departing Rosslare Europort from the end of September.
Ferry Barfleur. Source: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0
Departures will rise from five to seven every week. This means a daily Brittany Ferries departure from Rosslare Europort, starting October 2025.
The move includes a new Tuesday evening departure at 21:00, with additional sailings to be phased in as part of a broader strengthening of the route. Full schedules will be published shortly, after T’s have been crossed and I’s dotted. In the meantime, Brittany Ferries says it is ready to boost business continuity for Irish hauliers – and to offer more choice to holidaymakers.
It also reflects the close partnership of Brittany Ferries with Rosslare Europort, as well as the Port of Cherbourg. The company says long-term investment will strengthen trade links between Ireland and France, while offering modern ships, comfort, and a dependable alternative to air travel for passengers.
“Brittany Ferries is a company that prides itself on its ability to move quickly when opportunity knocks,” said Christophe Mathieu CEO Brittany Ferries. “News that our competitor was stepping back, started the firing pistol on a concerted efforted to secure port slots and better serve customers in Ireland and France.
“I am delighted that we can confirm this increase in capacity on the Cherbourg Rosslare route and we thank Rosslare Europort and the Port of Cherbourg for their support. It means greater choice for holidaymakers and even more opportunity for freight operators seeking to by-pass the UK entirely, cutting down on bureaucracy and delays at the UK border [...]''
Brittany Ferries launched a Rosslare to Cherbourg service in 2021. It was a post-Brexit response to demand from hauliers, to obviate the need to cross the UK-landbridge when moving freight between Ireland and France. Recently third, fourth and fifth weekly return-sailings had been added to the menu, as demand continued to rise – and not just from freight customers.
Passenger and freight figures show the seaborne connection is ripe for further development. Passenger volumes have soared nearly 40 per cent this year. Freight units have doubled.
The capacity boost is also good news for Brittany Ferries’ seafarers. Several ships – scheduled to be taken out of service over the winter – are now expected to serve the Rosslare-Cherbourg expansion.
Galicia for example, one of five new ships that joined the Brittany Ferries fleet since 2020 will serve Rosslare-Cherbourg throughout the winter, rather than being tied up. Pont-Aven, the company’s flagship, will also continue to sail during part of the winter period, after the company initially planned to lay her over.
Source:
[Brittany Ferries press release]