Brittany Ferries is scheduled to launch its first crossing from Portsmouth to Bilbao tonight at 22:00 BST, having assumed control of the route from P&O Ferries.

The Cap Finistere vessel will now ferry passengers between the UK and Spain in place of P&O Ferries’ Pride of Bilbao. P&O Ferries cancelled all operations on the Portsmouth to Bilbao route, citing “unsustainable losses” as the primary reason behind the decision, which came into effect in September 2010.

Despite the inability of P&O Ferries to make a success of the route, Brittany Ferries believes that ferrying passengers between the UK and Spain offers potentially lucrative rewards. Brittany Ferries’ confidence in being able to make the route profitable might be evidenced by the fact that the Portsmouth to Bilbao crossing is the company’s first new route in a quarter of a century.

Brittany Ferries’ Mike Bevens, commented: “Bilbao has forged a reputation as a destination in its own right in recent years. As the numbers of air travellers from the UK to Spain have declined, we’ve witnessed a surge in demand for direct UK to Spain crossings.

“Our customers welcome being able to relax on a comfortable and spacious cruise-ferry and the freedom that having their own car brings.”

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