Brittany Ferries CEO looking to future after ‘seamless’ transition

Previous operator Condor has sold the Liberation, which was bought only 10 years ago, leaving Voyager as the only fast vessel on the route.

Although it is now about 25 years old, Mr Mathieu said the life of a ferry depended on various factors, including how it was maintained.

But it would not be long before a replacement would be considered.

‘These things will take now some additional work with Ports and the States on what is the next generation of ships,’ he said.

‘We’ve always said that we believe in electricity as one power, to decarbonise and to provide the next generation of ships.’

Watch: Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu on its first week, the future of its fleet and building bridges between France and the Bailiwick.

The traditional ferry Islander, which is 20 years old, is likely to be around a while longer, he said.

Brittany began its services on Friday and Mr Mathieu said it had been a seamless takeover.

Yesterday saw the Voyager’s first sailing from Guernsey to Jersey, a route only running once a week at the moment.

‘There is a lot of demand,’ said Mr Mathieu.

‘I think people would want more. But we were asked by the States of Guernsey to provide one a week, which we’re doing.’

It was thought that DFDS, which serves Jersey, would be providing a second inter-island sailing, but this has still not been announced and Mr Mathieu said that he had not heard anything during the regular calls between the companies and the island governments.

He is in the island for two days of meetings, including with the Economic Development Committee, and brought with him Brittany Ferries’ chairman, Jean-Marc Roue, the deputy mayor of St Malo, the mayor of Cancale, a director of St Malo Chamber of Commerce, a St Malo tourism representative and a regional counsellor.

There was also a representative from a French waste disposal firm who he said would be looking at Guernsey’s issues with rubbish and if there was anything the company could do to help.

‘I think there is a strong appetite in Guernsey and in Brittany to create bridges and relationships,’ he said.

‘We are there to facilitate that. Because we are a French local company, we have a lot of political and economical connections in Brittany.’

There had been a lot of interest from French people in the St Malo-Guernsey route, he said, and what the island could offer them was among the topics discussed during the delegation’s visit.

‘Besides the economy, we also talked a lot about cultural bridges, using art, but also Victor Hugo, which is a big topic that we can capitalise on.

He said there were lots of ideas for putting together tours that could appeal to French visitor.

‘It’s fascinating to see, at this very early stage, all the ideas come up between Brittany people and Guernsey people.

‘We are there to facilitate. We are there to accompany whatever ideas people have, if we can assist by putting on more frequency or more capacity.’