Condor Ferries has an extra freight vessel to provide cover and additional capacity over Christmas and New Year.
The MV Arrow has been based in Poole since the beginning of December and will lay over at the Dorset port until early January.
She will remain on standby to support Condor’s seasonal seven day a week freight operation provided by Commodore Clipper and Commodore Goodwill if needed.
Paul Luxon, Condor’s CEO, said: “We know how important Christmas and New Year are, not only for our passengers, but also for our freight customers who are vital partners in our work to keep the Channel Islands connected and supplied.”
“This is a significant extra investment on the part of Condor, which is a private company operating without subsidy, but we’re convinced it’s the right thing to do as having the Arrow on call increases our resilience and flexibility during the busy few weeks of the festive period.”
It means, with more stormy weather likely, it would allow them to increase car deck capacity on the Clipper for use by passengers and their vehicles whilst maintaining the freight supply chain on the Goodwill and Arrow.
Condor entered a shared three year charter for MV Arrow earlier this year to cover dry docks and has now arranged for the ship’s immediate call off in December so she remains available within 36 to 48 hours.
The MV Arrow is regularly chartered by Condor when its existing freight ships are in dry dock for maintenance and is a familiar site in the Channel Islands. She is 122m long, can transport 66 14-metre trailers and 12 passengers.
