The Pont-Aven will introduce
many firsts to Brittany Ferries. She will be the first Northern
European car ferry to feature such cruise ship facilities as an open
deck swimming pool and cabins with sea view balconies. Her service speed of 27kts will make her
the fastest conventional ferry operating on the western channel and
Bay of Biscay.
She will be the largest vessel in the Brittany Ferries fleet, as
well as the quickest, thanks to a power of 58 000cv, two and
a half times superior to that of the m/v Val de Loire, the vessel
she shall be replacing. Her service speed of 27 knots will allow for her to significantly
reduce the times of crossings. Thus Roscoff will be linked to Cork in 10½ hours
instead of the current 14,
Roscoff in 4¾ hours, and Santander crossings reduced
to just 18 hours compared to the present 24.
The contract for the construction was awarded to
the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany which also built the Oriana and
Aurora cruise ships.
|
