To strengthen closer post-Brexit links between Brittany and Ireland, the president of ferry operator Brittany Ferries, has become an honorary Irish consul for the north-west region of France, reports The Connexion.

In addition, Ireland has also opened a new consulate general to be located in Lyon to boost relations with this region in the south east of the country.

A spokesman for the Brittany region said the new post was created after Irish officials visited Finistère to discuss marine renewable energy plans. “It’s a mutual subject of interest to us. Brittany has been working on closer links with Ireland, which is, since Brexit, our closest European neighbour, in particular in the areas of culture, industry, education and energy.”

At the ceremony to inaugurate the honorary consul, Jean-Marc Roué who has been president of Brittany Ferries for 15 years, was the Irish Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality James Browne who said there had been a “Brexit rebound”.

During the ceremony, Bretons gave out pink Roscoff onions which Afloat adds reflected the historical agriculture trading roots that led to the founding of Brittany Ferries which celebrates this year its 50th anniversary that began with their first ferry making a crossing on the English Channel.

For further reading on French firms that are growing stronger in trade links to Ireland, click for The Connexion here.

Trade between the nations will be given a capacity boost when Brittany Ferries is to introduce newbuild cruiseferry Salamanca as AFLOAT recently reported which is to enter service in November on the Ireland-Spain route of Rosslare Europort-Bilbao. The new ferry set to replace the chartered-in ropax Connemara, will operate the Spanish route while also connecting the Wexford port and Cherbourg with sailings scheduled to begin early next month.

The debut of the E-Flexer class cruiseferry will also be significant as the newbuild will be the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered ferry to operate in Irish waters.

Salamanca, however will only be serving sailings over the winter months before been taken over by another E-Flexer in the form of Galicia. This cruiseferry was due to enter in March 2023 but has since been revised to an April start.

The CEO of the company that operates Irish Ferries has said that exporters will continue to use the ‘faster, cheaper’ UK landbridge between Ireland and mainland Europe despite Brexit.

As Extra.ie reports, goods going between EU countries and Britain now require additional paperwork and customs checks since the UK left the EU on December 31.

Irish Continental Group (ICG) CEO Eamon Rothwell has predicted that businesses will continue to send their goods by road via Britain despite the extra red tape though.

Speaking to the Irish Times, Mr Rothwell argued that the route is cheaper, faster, more frequent and less prone to cancellations than direct services between Irish ports and mainland Europe.

More here on this story.