MV Armorique
 MV Armorique berthed at Saint Malo, March 2012 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Armorique |
| Owner: | SOMAROP |
| Operator: | Brittany Ferries |
| Port of registry: |
Morlaix,  France |
| Route: | Plymouth-Roscoff |
| Ordered: | January 2006 |
| Builder: | STX Europe Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland |
| Cost: | £81 million (€110 million) |
| Yard number: | 1362 |
| Laid down: | 14 March 2008 |
| Launched: | 10 August 2008 |
| Completed: | 28 January 2009 |
| Maiden voyage: | 10 February 2009 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 9364980 |
| Status: | In Service |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 29468 GT |
| Length: | 168 m (551 ft) |
| Beam: | 26.8 m (87.9 ft) |
| Speed: | 25 kn (46 km/h)[1] |
| Capacity: |
|
The MV Armorique is a passenger and freight ferry built for Brittany Ferries by STX Europe in Finland at a cost of £81 million (€110 million).[2][3][4] The vessel was delivered to Brittany Ferries on 26 January 2009,[5] it was originally planned for her to be delivered in September 2008. Armorique is named after a national park of outstanding beauty in western Brittany. Armorique was also the name of a previous Brittany Ferries vessel purchased for service between Portsmouth and St Malo in 1975 and sold in 1993.
The vessel was designed and built specifically for the Plymouth-Roscoff route, as a replacement for the MV Pont L'Abbe
Her maiden voyage was due to be on 10 February 2009 at 15.00hrs, sailing from Roscoff to Plymouth. However, due to severe weather conditions, this crossing was cancelled, and she sailed to Plymouth without passengers. The overnight crossing from Plymouth on 10 February went ahead, making this her maiden voyage.
Armorique sails under the French flag and is registered in Morlaix.
Routes
Current routes
- Plymouth - Roscoff
- Portsmouth - Saint Malo
- Portsmouth - Caen
Other routes served
- Portsmouth - Bilbao
- Portsmouth - Santander
- Plymouth - Santander
- Poole - Cherbourg
Design
Armorique is identical to the Cotentin from keel to deck five. The first deck of passenger space is on deck six rather than deck 7 as on the Cotentin.
Initial artist impressions from Aker Yards showed a vessel that shared a number of similarities to the Cotentin.[6] However, Brittany Ferries released an altered artist's impression of the Armorique in December. Revisions include a design change to the funnel and upper cabin deck along with alterations to the proposed livery.
Pictures released by Brittany Ferries show the ship will have double deck vehicle access at the bow and stern to decks 3 and 5 though while on her usual route loading of deck 5 will be via an internal ramp due to lack of double deck facilities at Plymouth or Roscoff. The stern door will be narrower than the one fitted to the Cotentin.
Onboard facilities
- Self-service Restaurant: "Le Restaurant"
- Bar: "Le Bar"
- Cafe: "Lounge Cafe"
- Large shopping area: "Les Boutiques"
- Cinemas
- Games Planet (games)
- Chance Planet (slot machines)
- Cash machine
- Play areas
- Free WiFi
- 250 Cabins including Club4 and Club 4 Plus Cabins
- Reclining seat lounges
- Reading lounge
References
Notes
- ↑ "History & specification of Armorique". Brittany Ferries. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ "Hjem - Aker ASA". Akeryards.com (in (Norwegian)). 2016-11-07. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
- ↑
- ↑ "Hjem - Aker ASA". Akeryards.com (in (Norwegian)). 2016-11-07. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
Bibliography
- Peter, Bruce (2009). Brittany Ferries' Armorique / L'Armorique de Brittany Ferries (in English and French). Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN 9781906608040.