Score76

Some of you may have seen this in another thread but it was felt this should be put in its own thread so that more people read it and join the campaign.

http://chng.it/JVQDkmXRFb

I've created a petition on the above link. Please support, share with anyone who might also add their support. Share via Facebook to any relevant groups you are in, relevant people via email and whatsapp. If/when we hit a significant number of people having signed the petition I will contact a few senior people I've found who work at Brittany Ferries via LinkedIn and try to engage with them to make this happen.

riv

Setting this up is a great idea.

I have certainly signed and I hope others will too.

I believe that Brittany Ferries ( or other ferry company ) could profit quitre a lot from setting up such a link.

In the 1970s The Eagle plied from S. of England to Lisbon. Service withdrawn in the 1980s, from memory because of falling popularity.

But far more people visit Portugal now than was the case 40 years ago. And people hate the whole airport and plane experience.

The journey from Southampton is two overnights, so could be sold as a pleasant 'Mini Cruise' as well as a convenient way to get your car over to Portugal, whether it docked at Oporto or Lisbon.
I am really surprised that they haven't at least trialed this route already. I believe I read that Brittany Ferries is hugely profitmaking. So could afford to take a punt.

barlaventoexpert

It's a delightfully romantic idea but, in the end, economics will win out.

I would suspect that Viana do Castelo would be the best port as it's not so busy a Leixões.

However, I suspect only a guarantee of regular ro-ro freight year round would even begin to make it viable, given the seas in the Bay of Biscay during winter.

Both Madeira and the Açores have looked, in recent years, at regular weekly services with the mainland and the economics don't stack up.

What might work is a return of a small fast passenger packet with stabilisers between Southampton & Vigo which would connect with the Vigo - Porto - Lisbon - Faro rail corridor that is being upgraded.

riv

Is it 'romantic' only ? If such a ferry was viable in the 1970s, why not now with vastly increased travel between UK and Portugal since then ?

If Bilbao and Santander are viable I don't see why Viano do Castelo or Porto would not be equally so..............at least say once a fortnight for starters.

If I were in charge at Brittany ( or other ) Ferries I would at absolute minimum do some investigation of the market, and maybe trial it for a year.

Bear in mind also the huge popularity of cruises. With two overnights ( in each direction ) this could be marketed as a mini cruise, even for passengers who were not seeking to transport a car.

I have in the past travelled on the Brittany Ferries offering to Brittany. I quite enjoyed it ( they have a choice of restaurants, including one with fine dining if you want to splash out ).
However you just get one x overnight, so there's no time really to just potter around and enjoy the sea air.

A two x overnights would give one full day at sea, as well as two x evenings : really what's not to like ?

barlaventoexpert

Are you aware of the costs of operating vessels these days?

Issues to consider

- European Union Maritime Safety requirements included double hulled vessels.
- European Maritime Fuel requirements including marine fuels with zero or low emissions.
- Crew costs
- Crew availability.

I have helped run a small shipping line in the past.

It's not as easy as you think.

santaanita

would
it not decrease the volume to spain making 2 ports with less business so you might loose one of those

Score76

If that happens then it only goes to prove the current services are travelling to the wrong place.

santaanita

if and only if it was into lisbon you would get the algarvians ,but if it was porto and i would have to travel to the algarve then i would rather get there quicker by staying as it is,if i live in the north then whats the difference longer for the boat to get to lisbon then a drive back up north,i dont think the bosses will see it as a goer

m2m2012

Write to Boris about this; maybe he will help.

Score76

He's onboard already, he signed the petition yesterday ;-)

Moses2013

Agree and it was only intended as a temporary solution in the first place. Due to Brexit we have more routes going from Ireland now and you need trade to cover the total costs. It would probably even be cheaper to use a connection port, so stop in France and go from there. I would even say a place like Royan would make more sense if the port was large enough.

riv

You haven't addressed the argument that it could be marketed also as a mini cruise. Cruises are v popular. People would have an option to return on the same boat ( thus four or five overnights on the boat ) . As well as for those bringing cars in either direction.

For people whose destination is Portugal ( north or south ) rather than Spain, then one benefit is avoiding the immigration etc formalities in one country.

Whether it arrived at Porto or Lisbon , assuming people can exit around 08:00 am or earlier, it's a fairly easy drive in one day to anywhere in the country.

I realize that Brittany ( or other ) Ferries are not going to put it on as a social service to please UK retirees et al. But my point is I think there is an existing potential market which is not being catered to. And sometimes a market ( profitable ) can be created by offering the service.

Lots of people thought Steli Hadji-Jouannou was mad when he started Easyjet. They don't now.

Moses2013

You could only market as a mini cruise if you have enough vessels and it matches the time plan. In reality the boat is used for various routes to cover costs and as an example the Pont Aven also goes from Cork to Roscoff and back + cabin is mandatory. The Brittany Ferries économie could not be marketed as a mini cruise and is a no-frills service and you would always have the challenge managing the cabins, since the lorry driver also needs one.

toots sweet

"would it not decrease the volume to spain making 2 ports with less business so you might loose one of those."

But they have 2 ports within an hours drive of each other In Spain ! Might as well use one to Portugal a few times a month.

Santander-Faro about 9-10 hours drive
Porto- Faro less than 5 hours drive .According to Google.

What's not to like......................
Even better if you live near where we do.

chislenko

And many coffee stops!!