The launch of a rolling highway service linking the Normandy port of Cherbourg and Bayonne-Mouguerre, in the French Basque Country is now earmarked to start in early Spring next year. According to initial projections, the first trains were expected to run by the end of 2024.

“We have obtained the train slots and the timetabling is good but work on both terminals has been held up by administrative delays on the public authorities side. Work on the Cherbourg terminal is on course to be completed in December and that of Bayonne-Mouguerre early next year”, a senior executive at Brittany Ferries, which will operate the service explained. “We are looking to launch the service from end-March 2025”.

The proposed service, connecting freight markets in France, the UK, Ireland and Spain, was first announced in April 2022. The plain also entailed the construction of two new dedicated combined rail-road terminals. Operating year-round, the service will offer daily departures from both Cherbourg and Bayonne-Mouguerre.

From sea to rail

Each train will be composed of 21 Modalohr wagons with double pockets, allowing 42 unaccompanied trailers to be transported. However, in the first phase of operations, convoys will be limited to 18 wagons (36 trailers) as the full capacity of the Bayonne-Mouguerre terminal will not be attained until upgrade works are completed in 2026. The initiative is financed by Brittany Ferries, the French state and the regions of Normandy and Nouvelle Aquitaine.

The executive said that since 2016 Brittany Ferries has chartered a ro-ro vessel for unaccompanied trailers between Bilbao, in northern Spain, and Poole, on the southern coast of England, operating twice-weekly round trips. “The aim of the rail service is to transfer the trailers which currently take the vessel on to trains. While you can load more trucks on ro-ro ships, they can take 48 hours for a round trip, whereas two trains can be operated during that period, therefore offering more capacity.

“Nor are trains affected by the tides and marine weather and arguably have a greater regularity than maritime transport”, the executive added. Brittany Ferries is planning to phase out the Poole-Bilbao vessel service during the course of next year in favour of speedier and greater capacity trains on the Cherbourg-Bayonne/Mouguerre route. The switch also reflects the company’s energy transition strategy towards more sustainable, eco-friendly freight transport, the executive added.