Brittany Ferries say they have secured optimal Saint Malo timings for 2026
• Brittany Ferries confirms 08:15 departure to Guernsey, following a successful season with 55% route growth.
• Total passenger business through Saint Malo port increased by 14.1%, while freight traffic rose by 48.1% compared to 2024.
• 15,000 passengers transported between Poole and Saint Malo via Guernsey in 2025.
• Plans to further increase passenger and freight traffic are in place.
• CEO says rival DFDS jumped to conclusions in announcing its slot last week.
Following a successful operational season to Guernsey, Brittany Ferries has confirmed its 2026 departure times from Saint Malo for services to Guernsey and the UK.
The discussions with the Brittany region and EDEIS, the management company at Saint Malo, have resulted in the Voyager departing at 08:15 next summer, which is 15 minutes later than the current year's schedule. T
The arrival time in Guernsey will remain at 09:15 local time.
Only last week DFDS said it had secured the "much sought-after" 07:45 slot to Jersey for its fast ferry services, prompting a swift response from Guernsey’s Economic Development committee to say that decisions about port access had not actually been finalised.
Part of the pressure of slots is from the Port of Saint Malo’s redevelopment, beginning in 2026, which means one of the two RoRo ramps will be out of service meaning all ferry operators will share a single ramp, creating potential congestion at peak times
Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries, stated, “We are obviously delighted to have secured these optimal timings as it allows us to continue developing services following such a positive first season.”
The company reported transporting 15,000 passengers on the Poole-Saint Malo route via Guernsey during its inaugural summer.
Mr Mathieu added, “The decision reflects the importance of Brittany Ferries to Saint Malo port, where, as a group, we increased our freight activity by 48.1% and passenger traffic by 14.1% in comparison with 2024.”
The new schedule will optimize operations for both the Voyager and the Portsmouth vessel, the Saint Malo.
“It is also clear that the Government of Jersey and DFDS jumped to conclusions by making an early announcement last week as discussions were still ongoing.”
Brittany Ferries has plans for further growth in services from Saint Malo to the Bailiwick and to the UK, emphasising potential benefits for local economies and the tourism sector.
In conjunction with this, it plans to collaborate closely with the States of Guernsey to increase freight volumes, following three trade delegations held in the previous quarter.
Mr Mathieu stated, “We have ambitious plans to develop services from Saint Malo to the Bailiwick and onward to the UK, creating opportunities and tangible benefits for local economies and tourism sectors.”
In response to the St Malo slot confirmation, Economic Development President Sasha Kazantseva-Miller said: "“This is a significant development given the importance of maintaining the prominent slots at the Port of St Malo has for our visitor economy."
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