Guernsey Press

Back to the future to take stock

HALF the cost of an aircraft, six times faster than conventional ferries and with zero emissions – no wonder Condor and its part-owner Brittany Ferries have expressed serious interest in seagliding technology that could revolutionise maritime transport.

Published

In a back to the future scenario – for those who remember Condor launching its first hydrofoil in the summer of 1964 – these electric sea-skimmers could theoretically bring passengers from the UK to a St Peter Port restaurant in the hour.

Ponder that and the island suddenly becomes an attractive destination for the wealthy to moor their luxury craft ready for a weekend break with better boating than found off the UK’s south coast plus easy access to the Continent.

This helps explain why Policy & Resources was opposed to the harbour development proposals from States’ Trading and instead has persuaded the Assembly to opt for a development and regeneration board taking a more holistic view of the island’s requirements.

STSB’s package had much to commend it. If it could be criticised, it was perhaps for being focused on resolving the problems for which it is responsible.

The seaglider concept is a vivid reminder that technology has long overtaken a St Peter Port harbour designed for timber sailing ships and that the need to decarbonise transport and leisure boating is already affecting trends.

Where will that end and what opportunities does it provide for the future? Hydrogen is increasingly viewed as the fuel of the future and, while Guernsey can make money now pumping diesel into superyachts, it is not a long-term strategy. Positioning the island as a non-tidal base for top-end craft with access to ‘green’ hydrogen that’s a seaglide away from the City of London could, however, well be.

Pause and review might be a devalued concept but the island has less than 10 years to plan for no new fossil fuel vehicles being sold here, yet has given no thought to how that will affect the automotive trade, those employed in it, or garage forecourts.

It can’t afford to do the same with its ports.