Brittany Ferries' first LNG-electric hybrid vessel, Saint-Malo, has just successfully completed its sea trials, validating the proper operation of the vessel's new hybrid system.

When it enters service on the Saint-Malo/Portsmouth route on 12 February 2025, the Saint-Malo will be the greenest ship to operate on the English Channel.
‘The Saint-Malo will be the fourth in a series of new ships to join the Brittany Ferries fleet as part of a fleet renewal plan,’ said Christophe Mathieu, Chairman of the Brittany Ferries Management Board. ‘This vessel, like its sistership the Guillaume de Normandie, represents an important step towards a sustainable future.
The Saint-Malo will replace the Bretagne on the daily Saint-Malo / Portsmouth route, and the Guillaume de Normandie, its sistership, currently under construction, will join the Caen-Ouistreham / Portsmouth route from 18 April 2025, making three crossings a day, doubling up with the Mont-Saint-Michel and replacing the Normandie.
Sea trials are the first time that a ship has been tested on the reliability of its propulsion systems and its ability to navigate under real conditions. These include tests on the main and auxiliary engines, pumps, alarms and safety systems such as fire-fighting equipment. The programme also includes speed and manoeuvrability tests, as well as an assessment of noise and vibrations at sea. Propeller reversal tests demonstrate the ability of a ship travelling at maximum speed to stop within a limit specified by SOLAS regulations.