MS Barfleur at Cherbourg
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History | |
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Name: |
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Owner: | SENAMANCHE |
Operator: |
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Port of registry: | Cherbourg, France |
Route: | Poole - Cherbourg |
Ordered: | 1990 |
Builder: | Kvaerner Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland |
Launched: | 26 July 1991 |
Completed: | 1992 |
In service: | 1992 |
Identification: | IMO number: 9007130 |
Status: | In Service |
General characteristics | |
Tonnage: | 20,133 GT |
Length: | 158.7 m (520.7 ft) |
Beam: | 23.3 m (76.4 ft) |
Installed power: | 4 × 8-cyl Wärtsilä Vasa 8R32 diesels, 4,020bhp each geared to two controllable pitch propellers |
Speed: | 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph) |
Capacity: |
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Crew: | 185 |
MV Barfleur is a ferry operated by Brittany Ferries on the route between Poole on the south coast of England and Cherbourg, France. She was built at Masa Yards Turku New Shipyard in Finland for the Brittany Ferries subsidiary Truckline and entered service in 1992. In 1999 she was repainted in Brittany Ferries standard livery. Barfleur was the last ship to carry the 1983-2002 version of the Brittany Ferries logo and livery which was replaced by the post-2002 version in March 2009. She sails under the French flag and is registered in Cherbourg.
From 27 April 2012 until December that year, she was in service with DFDS Seaways who had renamed her as Deal Seaways to ensure she had the same initials as their other ships, all DS. She was used on their joint Dover—Calais route with LD Lines.
On the 19 December 2009 Brittany Ferries announced that they would be withdrawing Barfleur from its service between Poole and Cherbourg. They claimed to have been losing money on the service for quite some time. After completing her last trip in February 2010 Barfleur was laid up in the canal near to Caen. For many months there was much speculation as to the future of the vessel with many believing it was to be chartered to another operator. On the 16 December 2010, almost a year after the announcement of withdrawal, Brittany Ferries made a statement that Barfleur would resume service on the Poole to Cherbourg route commencing on 27 February 2011. However, the service was to be aimed at freight traffic as well as passengers.
On 11 July 2011, Brittany Ferries further announced that Barfleur would again be withdrawn from service between Poole and Cherbourg with effect from 3 October 2011, citing ongoing profitability concerns. The company further commented that the service 'may be reintroduced for the Summer 2012 season'.
It was announced on 10 February 2012 that Barfleur would not resume service in 2012 due to the ongoing difficult economic situation. She would remain laid up at Caen for the foreseeable future.