States in backup talks amid Condor issues
Condor Ferries has taken the unusual step of announcing that it is facing difficulties.
There has been increasing speculation in recent weeks about Condor’s financial health, but a statement it issued on Friday provided no details about the nature of the company’s 'challenges'.
It is understood that senior politicians and States’ officials had started drawing up contingency plans for the island’s vital transport links, but Condor’s statement dismissed fears of disruption to services.
‘Condor has been working with its stakeholders to overcome a temporary but challenging time,’ said chief executive John Napton.
‘We are confident that this is very near to being resolved and will have no impact on our services now or in the long term.’
The newly-elected president of the Policy & Resources Committee, Deputy Lyndon Trott, said on Friday night he had not yet been fully briefed on the issue and was therefore unable to comment.
Guernsey and Jersey governments have commissioned a freight vessel to carry out berthing trials in both islands this weekend. The DFDS Finlandia Seaways is due into St Peter Port on Saturday afternoon.
‘These trials have been commissioned by the governments of Jersey and Guernsey as part of ongoing testing of contingency plans for a number of possible risks, of which supply links naturally form a key part,’ a Guernsey Ports spokesman said.
The States and Condor entered into a joint agreement eight months ago to purchase the Condor Islander conventional ferry to provide resilience to lifeline sea links, with both parties putting in £3m. and the States lending the company some £26m. over 10 years to complete the deal, which was conducted using the States’ emergency powers.
It was being reported on Friday night that Condor, which since 2020 has been part-owned by ferry giant Brittany Ferries, as part of a consortium with the Columbia Threadneedle European Sustainable Infrastructure Fund, had been required to refinance loans this autumn.
As well as passenger services, Condor is responsible for 65,000 freight trailers each year across its network, providing a vital lifeline to the islands.
Guernsey and Jersey’s governments are now looking at options to ensure those freight links are secure.
The DFDS Finlandia Seaways, a 163m-long ro-ro cargo vessel, left the Danish port of Koge earlier this week and sailed into Bailiwick waters on Friday.
The vessel’s carrying capacity is similar to the Commodore Goodwill but less than the Clipper.
It is longer than both Commodore vessels.
