Has the fog lifted? Talks continue on future of island's ferry routes

Monday 04 November 2024

Talks were continuing today on who Jersey should pick to run ferry services for the next 15 years.

Ministers are assessing who should win a two-horse race to sign an agreement with the island for passenger and freight services.

An announcement has been promised today – but it is not yet clear on whether that will be a firm decision or what the next steps in that process will be.

Pictured: The States of Guernsey helped fund Condor's purchase of the Islander.

The competition is between incumbent Condor – which is now majority owned by Brittany Ferries – and Danish operator DFDS.

However, it has proved a far-from-straightforward journey, not least because the agreement was supposed to be a joint decision between Jersey and Guernsey. 

Any pan-island co-operation appeared to evaporate last Wednesday when the States of Guernsey unilaterally announced that its own preferred bidder was Brittany Ferries.

This was after politicians in Jersey decided to delay an announcement on its own decision, which was originally due in September.

Pictured (from left to right): Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu, Jersey's Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel, and Deputy Neil Inder, President of the Committee for Economic Development in Guernsey.

Jersey argues that it is following a clear process, based on HM Treasury's ‘Green Book’ methodology, and more information from bidders was needed before it could make such a vital decision.

Guernsey says that, although it would still prefer a shared arrangement with Jersey, it was time to put its cards on the table, after a “robust” and “evidence-based” review.

The current agreement with Condor runs out at the end of March. It is not yet clear publicly if Jersey’s hands have been tied by the Guernsey decision, and whether sailings to and from the islands would only be viable with one operator serving both Jersey and Guernsey, north and south.