2023-07-22 07:23:23
Ferry companies highlight the journey more than the simple crossing with in particular more destinations from France and more comfortable boats. The perception of a greener mode of transport than the plane also plays in its favour.
Comfortable and equipped cabins, meticulous catering, space for entertainment or reserved for your pet, luxury lounge, spa and even a swimming pool… traveling by ferry today has very little to do with what you could have experienced a few decades ago.
If this type of mode of transport is still appreciated for crossing the Channel or the Mediterranean quickly and at low cost, for example, operators are multiplying destinations, modernizing their fleets, offering different classes and services, and thus trying to attract new customers, followers of slow-traveling and who want an alternative to the plane to reduce their carbon footprint. The journey rather than the simple crossing in short.
From France, it is thus possible to comfortably reach Sardinia from Nice or Toulon, or even further afield the Balearic Islands. You can also go to Ireland from Brittany or Normandy or to Morocco from Sète or Marseille.
Main ferry connections from France – BFM Business
Tourism, a third of sales at Corsica Ferries
At P&O Ferries, alongside the essential Dover-Calais, the company offers “mini-cruises” between Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Hull or York in England with two nights on board and services such as places for shows on land.
“We feel this tourist trend and we insist on it in our communication” explains to BFM Business Pierre Mattei, CEO of Corsica Ferries.
“This is of more and more interest to those who go to a tourist destination that is poorly equipped by public transport. They board with their vehicles, it makes their life easier, the trip is pleasant with catering on board and it’s more economical than renting a car on site, “he adds.
And to specify that this “tourism” clientele now represents a third of the company’s sales with top destinations: the Balearic Islands and the Island of Elba from Corsica.
Example of a cabin in a Corsica Ferries ferry – Corsica Ferries
In reality, “speed is no longer the main argument” of ferries underlines Pierre Mattei, “we have almost no more old-style ships, the new ferries carry many more cabins and allow us to offer more services on board, slow-traveling is part of our success”. Moreover, the fastest ships were gradually abandoned.
Speed is no longer an argument, price is
However, the leader believes that the main argument of the ferries remains (and will remain for quite a while) the price. An observation shared by Jean-Marc Roué, CEO of Brittany Ferries (which offers fewer “exotic” destinations).
“We will continue to push tourist travel, to highlight the carbon footprint, because customers are more and more sensitive to it and mentalities are changing” he explains to us.
“The fact remains that today, for us, the proportion of Europeans who go north in a logic of tourism is quite low. The price remains the main reason for decision, the argument of choice. Few choose us to travel, “adds Jean-Marc Roué.
Especially since France is distinguished by very low prices for the ferry trip. According to a study by Vivanoda, France ranks 12th cheapest country in Europe to travel with this mode of transport. The average price index (to travel 100 kilometres) is 47 euros against 105 euros for example from the United Kingdom.
According to this study, crossings to Morocco are by far the cheapest. Conversely, the connections to Italy, in particular the crossing from Bonifacio to Sardinia, and those to the United Kingdom are those with the highest price indices.
A difficult carbon footprint to calculate
Another factor that makes the ferry attractive: its carbon footprint, on paper less important than the plane given the number of passengers transported.
According to the European Environment Agency, ferries emit almost three times less CO2 than planes: around 60 grams of CO2 per kilometer and per passenger, compared to 160 grams by plane. Nevertheless, according to Greenpeace, the ferries reject in particular ultrafine particles, dangerous for human health, both on board and near the ports.
Joined by BFM Business, Marc Cottignies, engineer in the Transport and Mobility department of Ademe (the Environment and Energy Management Agency), disputes the figures from the European Environment Agency. Highlighting the large number of variables in the equation – type of ship, number of people transported, goods and cars on board, distance traveled -, he believes that “in order of magnitude, the ferry is equivalent to the plane” in terms of carbon emissions.
“When you look at the numbers published by the European Unionwe observe CO2 emissions on the rise from year to year for the major ferry companies”, underlines the specialist.
Marc Cottignies recalls that the ships are getting bigger and “that there are not that many passengers compared to the surface of the boat. Moreover, they are not filled all the time, there is a significant seasonality”.
The more the ship is tourist-oriented, the more it emits
Above all, the more the ship is tourism-oriented, with cabins and equipment, the more it emits, underlines the independent benchmark calculator Bonpote.com.
“If you benefit from the restaurant, the bar, the swimming pool etc, it can go up to doubling your carbon footprint” can we read. “Taking a cabin alone rather than a seat can double or even triple your carbon footprint.”
Comparisons are therefore very difficult. According to this calculator, a round trip for a passenger between Cherbourg and Dublin emits 422 kilos of CO2. By plane, with the calculator from the DGAC, for a Paris-Dublin-Paris trip, the total is 214 kilos.
Enough to defeat the green ambitions of tourist ferry users? Again, it all depends a lot on these variables.
“For a short distance, once a year, it’s not a drama in terms of climate but when we talk about longer distances carried out several times a year, like going to Ireland from France, it’s different”, tempers Marc Cottignies.
Cleaner ships still few in number
There is also the question of the route to get to the ferry. This is also why the government is going to experiment this summer with a combined train+ferry ticket to reach Ireland.
However, we must not forget the efforts made by shipping companies seeking to decarbonize their fleets with new ships, the use of LNG (a little cleaner than marine fuel oil) or electricity at quay, or even as a mode of propulsion, in order to comply with the new standards imposed. The fact remains that these ships are still few in the fleets (2 out of 10 for example at Brittany Ferries).
Brittany Ferries’ Salamanca is powered by LNG – Brittany Ferries
And as Pierre Mattei of Corsica Ferries acknowledges, “nothing is immediate, we are dependent on innovations and all of this will take time for all players”. As a result, “we do not adapt our communication on the bashing plane” he adds.
And Jean-Marc Roué, CEO of Brittany Ferries, concludes: “Will this translate into attendance figures? We don’t know.”
Olivier Chicheportiche Journalist BFM Business
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