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Roscoff, France
Brittany Ferries to close its Portsmouth/Le Havre line and sell off ships in 20 million euros cost-cutting attempt
by
Wednesday, 1 July 2026
Thirteen jobs, two ships and one line, Brittany Ferries announced cuts on Tuesday, 30th June, in an attempt to save money in a worrying financial period for the company. No more crossings between Portsmouth and Le Havre and the sale of both the Barfleur (built in 1992) and Cotentin (2007) ships from its fleet.
The Brittany Ferries check-in booth in Ouistreham | © Sebastien Pollock // World Radio Normandy Caen
The Breton company, based in Roscoff, will also cut thirteen on-board jobs but does not plan on opening a PSE ("Plan de Sauvegarde de l'Emploi", or plan to safeguard employment), which is normally a requirement when a company with over 50 staff fires 10 or more people for economic reasons.
Brittany Ferries in part blames the reduction of traffic between France and the UK since Brexit for its closure of the Le Havre / Portsmouth line. The current cost of living crisis, accentuated by current conflicts in the Middle East, has, according to Brittany Ferries spokespeople, led to a lower budget for travel and, once more, fewer bookings. It further justified its decision by telling the AFP (French Associated Press) that summer bookings for 2026 were lower than expected.
The line suppression, job cuts and sale of two ships are expected to save Brittany Ferries 20 million euros.
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