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Condor is both "surprised and disappointed" by Jersey's request to extend its contract by seven months while the process to decide an operator for the next 15 years continues, according to its CEO.
The CEO of both Condor Ferries and Brittany Ferries also said that the company had not yet received any “formal notification” of these developments and are “seeking clarification on the extension request” and details of "the new Jersey-only tender".
Following scathing criticism from the hospitality industry about the impact of delays in making a decision, Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel said yesterday evening that Condor had been invited to "confirm a seven-month extension to the current Operating Agreement" to "bring certainty by enabling Condor Ferries to publish its summer schedules".
CLICK TO READ: An exceptionally strongly worded letter from the Jersey Hospitality Association blasted "incompetence" and "indecision" during the process.
"Following the breakdown of the joint Channel Islands tender process, we have invited both final bidders, DFDS and Brittany Ferries, to work with the Government of Jersey as we find the best solution for our long-term ferry services," he said.
But this afternoon, Mr Mathieu said the suggestion had come as a shock and that he was urgently seeking more information about the new plan.
“Following media reports yesterday that the Government of Jersey plans to launch a new tender and has requested a short term extension of our current operating agreement, Brittany Ferries is both surprised and disappointed by this development," he said.
"Over the past nine months, Brittany Ferries has invested considerable resources in the process, providing extensive information to assist Jersey’s government in reaching a decision. We firmly believe that this is comprehensive and sufficient for concluding the existing process.
"We have not yet received any formal notification from Jersey’s government regarding these developments so are seeking clarification on the extension request, along with precise details of the new Jersey-only tender.
"Brittany Ferries has also written to both governments asking for further clarification on key aspects of the current process as a matter of urgency.”
The statement came just hours after Deputy Morel made a thinly veiled swipe at the financial health of the operator while speaking at the Jersey Farming Conference this morning.
He told the audience: "There are really good reasons for what I'm doing, and all I can say to you is that I'm doing this to protect us and our island. That's why I'm doing it. Please bear with me. Please, trust me."
Condor and Brittany Ferries declined to respond directly to those remarks when contacted by Express.
Condor's statement this afternoon is the latest update in an increasingly chaotic process to choose the ferry provider for the next 15 years.
Guernsey’s government – which previously helped Condor buy a boat and provided it a £26m loan due to a potential "emergency" which has never been disclosed – threw the months-long process to choose the new ferry provider for the Channel Islands into disarray by announcing their preferred bid was Brittany Ferries, the parent company of Condor Ferries, last week.
Since then, Jersey's politicians have this week been considering "additional legal advice" and having further discussions on whether the island should choose Danish shipping giant DFDS or remain with the incumbent.
Deputy Morel's counterpart in Guernsey, Deputy Neil Inder, has said he has no concerns about the financial health of the island's chosen provider.
He told Express the decision ultimately came down to the vessels proposed by each side.
"Really a lot of it was down to the mobilisation of the fleet. The fleet actually exists. DFDS didn't have a fleet that it could mobilise," he said.
"If the choices are so close, and you've got to look for other reasons as well, and the other reason was 'they've got boats, you haven't'."
DFDS previously said it would not comment about the process while it remains ongoing.
Follow Express for updates...
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