Condor to run on just two ships next year
French day-trippers and passengers wanting high-speed daytime ferries between Guernsey and Poole are the big winners in next summer’s schedule of sailings.
After arriving in Guernsey from St Malo at 9am, the fast ferry Voyager will run a Guernsey-Poole-Guernsey route between mid-morning and late afternoon most days between April and September, and every day in the school summer holidays.
However, Guernsey passengers travelling to St Malo by fast ferry, also on the Voyager, will not arrive in France until 9.15pm, and only one inter-island ferry each week has been promised, pending Jersey selecting its preferred operator next month.
The Islander, a conventional freight and passenger ferry, bought last year with the backing of the States, will be the only other vessel used regularly on Guernsey routes, arriving from Portsmouth early each morning, and operating between Guernsey and St Malo once a week.
The Commodore Clipper will provide back up, but the freighter Commodore Goodwill and the fast ferry Liberation have been completely removed from the 2025 schedule, which operator Condor/Brittany Ferries published yesterday.
‘The schedule secures both fast and conventional ferry travel with a dependable timetable, for which most sailings will not be subject to tidal variations, and good frequency without any notable increase in cost,’ said Economic Development president Neil Inder.
Immediate reaction to the schedule was mostly positive from groups representing the tourism sector and other businesses.
Deputy Inder revealed that he will sign a 15-year contract with Brittany Ferries on Tuesday and described its Guernsey-only schedule as ‘a success’ given ongoing uncertainty about whether Jersey will appoint Brittany Ferries or rival bidder DFDS.
He admitted that one sailing a week between the islands was not enough but said that part of the schedule was ‘subject to further development and agreement with Jersey’. It is understood that changes will also be made to other parts of the schedule if Brittany Ferries wins the Jersey-only tender process.
‘While freight importers will need to make some adjustments to align their operations with a single early morning service, instead of the two sailings they have been used to, ultimately the ability to maintain total capacity for freight is secured, as a single sailing can bring in the total number of containers that were previously being spread over two sailings,’ said Deputy Inder.
‘The timing of the early morning St Malo departure and late afternoon departure from Guernsey to St Malo gives opportunity for increased day-trip traffic from France.
‘In terms of UK travel, lunchtime arrivals and early afternoon departures from Poole allows for easier onward travel.’
Bookings can be made from 5pm on Tuesday.
