Brittany Ferries and Wärtsilä partnership cuts fuel consumption

The systems were first implemented on the vessel Cap Finistere and were finalised and fully operational in March 2019.

The companies reported that the ferry’s fuel consumption was down by 4% (prior to installation) within six months, a reduction the companies said is equal to approximately 2,600 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

Wärtsila Voyage head of sales, key account solutions, Andrew Rayner said the company’s ‘smart marine’ approach is focused on delivering high efficiency, environmental sustainability, and cost savings to the customers. He added that results established a “clear relationship” between the Wärtsilä Voyage optimisation tools and the savings achieved.

Brittany Ferries technical director Arnaud Le Poulichet said “We are delighted with both the fuel savings achieved and the resulting reduction of the ship’s carbon footprint. Our strategy is very much built around environmental performance, and we have already ordered the Wärtsilä speed and trim solutions for additional vessels.”

The initial contract covered three vessels - Cap Finistere, Pont Aven and Honfleur - but Wärtsilä has now received orders for three more ferries: Galicia, Mont St. Michel and Armorique.

The partnership included installation and activation o nboard of the Eniram fleet performance monitoring platform and the trim and speed optimisation systems, data access and analytics services, mobile operations services and training.

Brittany Ferries’ ropax ships serve routes between France, the UK and Spain. The company’s fleet is also undergoing a €550M (US$618M) renewal programme, focusing on sustainable development.