BRITTANY FERRIES ENDS POOLE-CHERBOURG SERVICE

Brittany Ferries ended its direct Poole–Cherbourg ferry service on Monday, 12 October, three weeks earlier than planned. The company had scheduled the final crossing for the end of October. It moved Barfleur, which had served the route since 1992, to sail between Rosslare and Cherbourg. Barfleur made its first crossing from Rosslare on 12 October.

Truckline Ferries established the Poole–Cherbourg route as a freight service in 1973. Brittany Ferries acquired Truckline Ferries in 1985 and began operating the route. The company sold Contentin, which had served Rosslare–Cherbourg, and needed to withdraw it by mid-October. A gearbox failure earlier this month forced Brittany Ferries to withdraw its potential replacement, Commodore Clipper, for repairs. The fleet changes also brought forward the closure of the Portsmouth–Le Havre route.

Brittany Ferries chief executive Christophe Mathieu said: “The reality is that, post Brexit, Rosslare/Cherbourg has become a strategically significant route for Brittany Ferries, carrying nearly 25 per cent of all freight traffic, so we must prioritise.” Mathieu also cited the COVID pandemic and noted that the company suspended Poole–Cherbourg sailings in 2020. Brittany Ferries said in June that it faced a €27 million (£22.8 million) bill in 2026, citing taxes, pandemic loan repayments, competition and weaker bookings. The company said bookings on the Poole route had already weakened before its closure. It apologised to affected passengers and offered them alternative sailings from Portsmouth or full refunds.