Islander is expected to move the 27-year-old Commodore Goodwill off a regular rotation as Islander and Clipper – similar vessels – handle much of the island’s freight and enable overnight crossings with cabins to and from the UK.
Condor chief executive John Napton said that the move would free up the Goodwill to become the company’s ‘additional’ vessel, possibly used only two or three times a week, or released for charter.
‘The plan is to run the Clipper and Islander in the same way we run Clipper and Goodwill now, but because the Islander carries passengers we would have overnight cabin capacity in both directions.
‘I think that will be a huge advantage. Having that ability to arrive in the Channel Islands early in the morning and get on with life will be immensely beneficial.’
There should be greater potential forday trips between the islands too, thoughit is likely that one of those legs would be on a conventional ferry, with a two-hour travel time rather than an hour on a fast ferry.
Mr Napton, who still lives in the UK and shares his time between Condor’s bases in Poole and the islands, joined the company as chief executive in 2021, having come into the business when it was sold shortly before lockdown in March 2020.
He spent 30 years with Brittany Ferries, latterly with responsibility for services between the UK, Ireland and Spain.
He described the Condor he found as ‘slightly unloved’.
‘It was managed as an asset as opposed to a ferry company – ferries are all I’ve ever done.
‘Our focus has to be on service, and providing a service to island community makes you more than standard ferry operator.’
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