Brittany Ferries (BAI)FerriesPast and Present

MV Normandie – Past and Present

IMO Number: 9006253

MV Normandie

© Carsten Dettmer

© Carsten Dettmer

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1992 by Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Åbo Finland (Yard No 1315) as a Passenger/RoRo Cargo/Ferry.

Technical Data

  • Length: 161.45m (overall), 147.69m (between perpendiculars)
  • Breadth: 26.00m
  • Depth: 25.55m
  • Draught: 6.01m (maximum)
  • Tonnage: 27,541 gross/16,833 net/4225 deadweight
  • Engines: Four 12-cylinder Wartsilla-Vasa 12V32E diesels
  • Power: 17760 kW/24132 HP
  • Speed: 20.5 knots (service)
  • Capacity: 2,160 passengers, 680 cars
  • Crew: 137
  • Call Sign: FNNO
  • MMSI Number: 227273000
  • IMO Number: 9006253
  • Register Number: 38R563
  • Port of Registry: Caen/France 🇫🇷

Current AIS Location


Please note that this specific vessels AIS position data may be over an hour old and that the vessels position will only be displayed when it is within range of the VesselFinder AIS system. The AIS transponder/ship position data featured on this page is intended for information purposes only and it is in no way related to the 'Safety of Navigation at Sea'. All the AIS ship position data featured within this article is provided by VesselFinder and we are therefore not responsible for its content or its accuracy.


History

October 5th 1991: Launched.

May 5th 1992: Completed and delivered to Brittany Ferries, Roscoff, France.

© Ken Larwood © Ken Larwood  

© Ken Larwood (May 1992)

May 14th 1992: Christened in Rotterdam.

May 16th 1992: Arrived in Portsmouth and sailed on a short shakedown/exhibition cruise.

May 18th 1992: Maiden voyage Caen – Portsmouth.

© Andreas Wörteler © Andreas Wörteler  

© Andreas Wörteler (2004)

February 2006 – March 2006: Refit in Poland.

© Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow  

© Ray Goodfellow (Arriving in Portsmouth, 16/04/2006)

2008: Registered Owner: Somanor.

© Andreas Wörteler © Andreas Wörteler  

© Andreas Wörteler (2010)

© Andreas Wörteler © Andreas Wörteler  

© Andreas Wörteler (2013)

© Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow  

© Ray Goodfellow (2014)

October 18th 2014: Came off service and sailed to the Astander Shipyard in Santander for a major refit and installation of an exhaust gas scrubbing system. As a part of the refit the ships funnel had to be remodelled to accommodate the scrubbers.

© Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow  

© Ray Goodfellow (Before (Left) and after (Right) photos of the ships funnel following the fitting of exhaust gas scrubbers)

December 28th 2014: Work completed and left yard.

December 29th 2014: Arrived in Cherbourg.

© "Ferry-Man" © "Ferry-Man"  

© “Ferry-Man”

January 2nd 2015: Resumed service Caen-Ouistreham – Portsmouth.

© Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow (Portsmouth, 01/04/2015)

© Andrew Wood (Kentphotopics) © Andrew Wood (Kentphotopics)  

© Andrew Wood (Kentphotopics)

6th May – 10th May 2015: Due to industrial action at the Port of Ouistreham all sailings of the Normandie were diverted to the Port of Cherbourg.

11th May 2015: Due to industrial action at the Ports of Ouistreham and Cherbourg the 0815 sailing from Portsmouth was diverted to Roscoff.

12th May 2015: Anchored off Roscoff with her sailings cancelled. Scheduled to re-position to Ouistreham and re-enter service on the Caen-Portsmouth line on the 13th May 2015.

13th May 2015: Following the ending of the industrial action at the port of Ouistreham she re-entered service with the 15:30 from Caen to Portsmouth.

10th November 2015: Remained in Portsmouth all day to take part in a joint emergency service safety exercise.

© Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow (Berthed in Ouistreham)

24th December 2015: Completed last sailing between Portsmouth and Ouistreham before heading to Cherbourg for Christmas layup and a period of maintenance. Her Portsmouth-Ouistreham (Caen) sailings were covered by the Armorique.

3rd January 2016: Resumed service from Portsmouth to Caen.

11th April 2016: During a routine afternoon crossing from Ouistreham to Portsmouth a fault developed within her main electrical switchboard causing a loss of electrical power and propulsion. As a result of this fault two crew members were injured and were airlifted from the ship. Electrical power and propulsion were eventually restored and the vessel diverted to Cherbourg for repairs.

“On Monday, 11 April, at around 5.30 pm, the Brittany Ferries ‘Normandie’ passenger vessel reported to the Jobourg Regional Operational Center for Surveillance and Rescue (CROSS) that a crew member was injured by burns following an incident on a switchboard. The ship, which has 493 passengers and 111 crew members, is then about thirty nautical miles (55 km) northeast of the point of Barfleur. He was on a Ouistreham – Portsmouth (UK) route. The incident on the electrical panel caused a loss of energy on board and rendered the ship unmanned.

Immediately, the CROSS engaged the EC-225 helicopter of the French Navy, stationed at Maupertus (50), with a doctor from the Medical Center of the Armies of Querqueville. In addition, the Maritime Operations Center of the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea had the tugboat Abeille Liberté set sail from Cherbourg at 7.20 pm.

Around 8 pm, Normandy regained its energy and managed, a few moments later, to restart its propulsion. The helicopter EC-225, quickly arrived in the area, shakes the doctor who intervenes on 4 wounded. 2 of them, more severely affected, are conditioned and evacuated at 20:30 to the CHU Roger Salengro of Lille where they are taken care of around 9:50 pm.

The Normandy decided to divert to Cherbourg for repairs. The Abeille Liberté , who went to meet the ferry, is at his contact around 9:30 pm. As a preventive measure, the tug will escort the vessel to the end of its transit. 

The Normandy is expected at the port of Cherbourg at the very end of the evening”

Source:  Préfecture maritime de Cherbourg – Translated via ‘Google Translate’

17th April 2016: Resumed service sailing from Cherbourg to Portsmouth before commencing regular service between Portsmouth and Caen.

5th June 2016: Brittany Ferries celebrated 30 years of operations between Portsmouth and Caen. Services were inaugurated with the ‘Duc de Normandie‘ on the 5th June 1986.

24th December 2016: Proceeded to Le-Havre for Christmas layup.

26th December 2016: Resumed service between Caen (Ouistreham) and Portsmouth.

31st December 2016: Following her morning arrival in Ouistreham the Normandie de-stored and departed for Santander, Spain for overhaul and refit at the Astander Shipyard. Her sailings between Caen and Portsmouth were covered by the Armorique.

2nd January 2017: Arrived in Santander.

7th February 2017: Departed the Astander shipyard in Santander, Spain for Cherbourg, France.

10th February 2017: Resumed service between Caen and Portsmouth.

5th May 2017: Celebrated 25 years of service between Portsmouth and Caen. During her 25 years of operation the Normandie has carried over 13 million passengers, 7 million cars, 2.5 million freight units and covered over 5 million nautical miles on her 51,000 scheduled crossings between Caen and Portsmouth.

23rd May 2017: Jean-Marc Roué, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Brittany Ferries confirmed that following delivery of a new vessel for the Caen-Portsmouth service in 2019 (Project ‘Mont St Michel II’)  that the ‘Normandie’ would be transferred to the Le-Havre – Portsmouth service.

“Year after year, we are growing on this line: 11.5% since the date of our implantation. In 2016, we carried out 713 movements and transported 170,000 passengers. Finally, with 35,000 cargo units transported, Le Havre is the second largest port for Brittany Ferries, “explains Jean-Marc Roué.

A particularly competitive activity, particularly with the Eurostar which allows direct links between Paris and London. “We must therefore offer a quality of service to our customers”. Thus, by 2019, Brittany Ferries should benefit from a new ship departing from Le Havre to ensure the link to England. “As soon as we have received delivery of Mont-Saint-Michel II, ‘Normandie’ currently in service on the Caen-Portsmouth line will be assigned to Le Havre,” said Jean-Marc Roué.”

Source: Normandinamil (CCI Normandie

© Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow© Ray Goodfellow © Ray Goodfellow

© Ray Goodfellow (Portsmouth International Port, 04/06/2017)

© Simonwp

© Simonwp (Portsmouth, 11/06/2018)

June 2018: Cherbourg, installation of her new Bow Thrusters, 

January/February 2019: Refit in Gdansk along with new livery

© Dogan © Dogan © Dogan  

© Dogan (Caen, 09/02/2019)

March 2019: Continued services between Portsmouth – Caen (Ouistraham) (Freight Only).

© Gary Davies

© Gary Davies (Maritime Photographic) (Portsmouth, 15/03/2019)

March 2020: Laid up in Le Havre owing to COVID pandemic.

© Carsten Dettme

© Carsten Dettmer (Le Havre, 20/06/2020)

July 10th 2020: Sailed to Caen after months of Covid layup.

July 12th 2020: Caen – Portsmouth service.

November 2020: Four week technical lay over in Cherbourg

November 30th 2020: Sailed to Portsmouth International Port. 

February 14th 2022: Left Cherbourg for refit in Gdansk. To be relieved by BARFLEUR.

© Pieter Inpyn © Pieter Inpyn

© Pieter Inpyn (Portsmouth, 22/05/2023)

2023 (Winter): Services Portsmouth – Le Havre (Monday to Thursday) and Portsmouth – Ouistreham (weekends).

January 5th 2024: Sailed from Ouistreham to Cherbourg.

January 5th 2024: Sailed from Cherbourg – Rosslare (as relief for COTENTIN)

January 6th 2024: Arrived Rosslare.

© The Coffee Dock

© The Coffee Dock (Rosslare, 06/01/2024)

January 18th 2024: Services Portsmouth – Cherbourg (Monday to Thursday) and Portsmouth – Ouistreham (weekends).

January 22nd 2024: Came off service at Cherbourg.

January 23rd 2024: Sailed to Gdansk for refit.

March 8th 2024: Left Gdansk.

March 9th 2024: Arrived Gothenburg Anchorage for bunkers.

March 10th 2024: Left Gothenburg Anchorage for Cherbourg.

March 12th 2024: Arrived Cherbourg.

March 13th 2024: Left Cherbourg for Portsmouth to take up services Portsmouth – Caen/Le Havre.


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: The Coffee Dock, Gary Davies (Maritime Photographic), Carsten Dettmer, Dogan, “Ferry-Man”, Pieter Inpyn, Ken Larwood, Simonwp, Andrew Wood (Kentphotopics) and Andreas Wörteler for their assistance in producing this feature.

Special thanks to Brittany Ferries.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

2 Comments

    1. Hi Dan,

      Thanks very much for your kind words. Nigel’s timing on posting the P&P for vessels always amazes me. I get back from Normandy and the following day the history of the ship I have travelled on is on the site 🙂 Keep an eye out for further Brittany Ferries vessels in the coming days.

      All the best

      Ray

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