Fortuny

[Kelvin Davies]

The company that runs the fast ferry service between Portsmouth and Bilbao have announced tonight that they are to stop the service.
When the Fortuny returns to Portsmouth from Bilbao on Thursday, they will take an empty ship back to Spain for use on another route in the Mediterranean.
They gave no notice to the port management in Portsmouth and people are still able to book tickets on the service. The port management only found out the service was to stop when the media contacted them for comment!

[sailorT]

Indeed the company, ACCIONA TRASMEDITERRANEA, are still advertising their 'New Route, Portsmouth - Bilbao' on their website, and make no mention of this news.

[Scotsman]

It doesn't surprise me Kelvin,I see this ship regularly sailing from Bilbao.  Whilst I am busy on board other vessels, one can judge the number of people on board by just looking at those on deck looking at the docking/sailing.  Hardly anyone around !

The "Fortuny" is owned by a company called Acciona.

Cheers,
Mike

[laurie]

According to Ferry Publications website
www.ferrypubs.co.uk/default.asp
under South Coast news;
"Sailings fron Portsmouth to Bilbao are cancelled from Jan25th to April 27th inc. It appears that the Fortuny will not be returning to the route."

This implies that services will recommence on 28th April with another vessel

Laurie

[Robert J Smith]

Lack of passengers could be down to cost. I did the Portsmouth Bilbao minicruise twice last year, I had intended the second time to be on FORTUNY but the web price was far more than P&O's PRIDE OF BILBAO.


Regards

Bob