WORLDShipsOCIETYDorsetBRANCH

Our events can be enjoyed via Zoom & at our Dorset venue ~~ do join us.

Our events are "hybrid" ~ enjoy online or at our Dorset venue ~ see & hear about Mauretania, World Swan II, Stettin  and many more ships - brought to you by our enthusiastic speakers. 

Talks & Meetings on Ocean Liners, Cargo Ships, Ferries, Mariner's Memoirs, Paddle Steamers, Cruise Ships, Naval History, Ship Design, Maritime Memories and much more ~ enjoyed by ships & shipping enthusiasts ~ a community with common interests 

   JOIN US ... Ask for a guest invitation to join your first event ... info@shipsdorset.org 

~S~D~ Images of the Month for October 2026 ~ 1of2 ~ ~ Barfleur ~ Celebrating service! - September'26  

These super images were taken by ~Ships~Dorset~ contributor Lewis Johnstone Photography and show the much-loved Barfleur departing the port she has served for over 34 years. A synopsis of her career follows ... with excerpts from selected Kev Mitchell ~S~D~ & PMT posts - thanks Kev!

Key Dimensions for Barfleur … Gross Tonnage = 20,133 … Length = 158m … Beam 23m … Service Speed = 19 Knots … Passenger capacity = 1,200 … Cars = 590 … Cabins = 72 … Reserved Seats = 295 … Crew = 92 … In Service 1992  … 

~S~D~ Images of the Month for October 2026 ~ 2of2 ~ ~ Barfleur ~ Celebrating service! - September'26  

On 4th April 1992, Truckline Ferries' new ferry entered Poole Harbour following the five mile-long deep water channel dredged and re-routed especially to accommodate Barfleur's record size. Once the largest ship in the Brittany Ferries fleet in terms of freight capacity, Barfleur was the first purpose built for double-deck loading with a full ship turnaround achievable in just 75 minutes. She was delivered in the colours of Truckline Ferries - Brittany Ferries' origjnal 'economie' service. But she was anything but an 'economie' ferry with capacity for up to 1,200 passengers and 590 cars, a self-service cafeteria as well as an a la carte restaurant, bar and shopping. By 2010 falling demand lead to Barfleur  being laid up for a year. After a further year back in service, in 2012 she was chartered to DFDS as "Deal Seaways", and the future of the Poole-Cherbourg operation looked bleak. Thankfully, normal service was resumed in 2013. Two years later exhaust scrubbers were fitted, and it is fortunate that this remodelling of the twin funnels did not spoil Barfleur's elegant lines. Another 2 years absence from Poole due to the reduction of services during the Covid pandemic ended when she re-appeared in April 2022. However, it now seems the time has come for our old friend to sail off over the horizon for the final time. Thanks for the memories, thanks for your service. 

To view previous "Images of the Month" click our Image Archive link ...