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| The Coutances stood down from
service with Brittany Ferries on the 1st May 2008. Her final
sailing was the 1000 Portsmouth to Cherbourg sailing. She had sailed between Poole and Cherbourg since her introduction in 1977, and was lengthened in 1986 to increase her capacity by 34%. Truckline was re-named Brittany Ferries Freight in 2002 and during August 2004 her prominent grey, white and yellow Truckline
colours were replaced in favour of a traditional white Brittany
Ferries colour scheme, with subtle differences. The Coutances was
replaced on the Poole to Cherbourg route in November 2007 when the
new Cotentin was delivered, when she moved to the Caen route to
provide additional freight capacity with the Normandie and Mont St
Michel. |
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ship history...
The Coutances was constructed in Le Havre as part of an order for two sister ships by Truckline Ferries in 1977, her sister being the Purbeck. She was launched on the 13th January 1978 entering service between Poole and Cherbourg for the relatively new company. Following Brittany Ferries buy out of Truckline both vessels were sent to La Rochelle for lengthening which increased their capacity by 34% - which was much needed.
Truckline Ferries was re-branded in 1999 to Brittany Ferries Freight, with their flagship Barfleur being repainted into the white livery, but the Coutances escaped the treatment until August 2004 where she too received a new livery, signalling the end of the Truckline era.
The Coutances was saved from retirement during 2004 where it was originally envisaged
to retire her from service, but freight levels and the reduction of Cherbourg sailings from Portsmouth saw fit to retain her in service for another year at least. As a result she underwent a major refit in Poland during the summer of 2004.
Coutances looked set to be replaced in the Autumn of 2007 by Brittany
Ferries new freight vessel Cotentin. However continued rising
freight levels saw her transferred to the Portsmouth to Caen route
to increase freight capacity, operating a daily round trip. At the
weekend she returns to the Poole to Cherbourg route whilst the
Cotentin operates to Santander.
Only a week into her new role on the Portsmouth to Caen route the
Coutances was chartered by Condor Ferries on the 13th December to
operate to the Channel Islands for a week whilst their own vessel,
Commodore Goodwill, sailed to Falmouth for repairs.
The Coutances stood down from service with Brittany Ferries on the
1st May 2008. Her final sailing was the 1000 Portsmouth to
Cherbourg sailing. She remained in Cherbourg until the 7th June
where she sailed to Dunkerque for dry docking and survey pending
sale. |
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