Brittany Ferries says it is ready to hit the ground running following the approval of its licence by the States of Guernsey,
The company is charting a new course for Condor and the Island, starting with publication of its long-awaited summer 2025 schedule.
The French company is now majority shareholder of Condor, ushering in a new era for sea travel. It will manage the Guernsey fleet and adopt a more customer centric approach as part of its blueprint for the future.
Following launch of 2025 schedules, the company will start taking bookings at 5pm on Tuesday 26th November for sailings linking Poole, Portsmouth, Guernsey and St Malo from 28th March through to 30th September 2025. The operation will support the lifeline year-round freight service, offer high speed and conventional passenger departures and provide connectivity for Islanders and the visitor economy.
Christophe Mathieu, Brittany Ferries’ and Condor Ferries’ CEO, said: “Brittany Ferries will introduce an approach to passenger and freight management based on a philosophy we have proudly embraced for more than 50 years. We exist to connect people, facilitate trade and enrich the regions we serve. So in this new era the Island will be put first, services will improve and benefits will be felt by all.
“We are delighted to confirm our agreement with the States of Guernsey and I am pleased to confirm that next summer’s sailings will be available next Tuesday, so my message to everyone is we are open for business. We have taken steps to put in place schedules that demand and support the tourism in Guernsey. We are committed to providing Islanders with convenient options to secure their journeys.
“Customers will benefit from a comprehensive weekly schedule and by booking soon, can secure the best sailings and fares.”
The operating pattern will see Condor Islander run freight and passengers six days per week to and from Portsmouth year-round. The high speed vessel Condor Voyager will operate St Malo-Guernsey-Poole-Guernsey-St Malo up to daily in high season and three times weekly in off-peak.
In July, a scheme allowing passengers to sign up for sailings free of charge was launched. Almost 1,000 registrations for travel to and from Guernsey were recorded. These individuals will be contacted next Tuesday to finalise their bookings. Earlier this year, both companies unveiled a joint initiative offering Islanders discounted fares on the French company’s network to Santander and Bilbao in Spain, and to Rosslare and Cork in Ireland. 100 customers have taken up this option and it will be available under the new schedule.
Mr Mathieu added: “The key to making this schedule a success is putting in the effort to showcase the Island, especially in light of recent delays. We will therefore hit the ground running and work closely with trade and industry partners to maximise this opportunity and catch up on lost time.”
The 2025 schedule published by Brittany Ferries today provides certainty for the Guernsey community and businesses, the Committee for Economic Development has said.
Deputy Neil Inder, President of the Committee for Economic Development, said: “Negotiations with Brittany Ferries on a Guernsey-only service have gone well and we’re set to sign the contract on Tuesday. However, as the schedule is ready and agreed we didn’t want to wait any longer than necessary before we and Brittany gave the community the certainty it needs and deserves.
“The schedule secures both fast and conventional ferry travel with a dependable timetable, for which most sailings will not be subject to tidal variations, good frequency without any notable increase in cost. That is a success given a need to optimise for a Guernsey-only service.
“We continue to leave the door open for Jersey should it choose Brittany Ferries and want to turn this into a service for both islands.
“While freight importers will need to make some adjustments to align their operations with a single early morning service, instead of the two sailings they have been used to, ultimately the ability to maintain total capacity for freight is secured as a single sailing can bring in the total number of containers that were previously being spread over two sailings. And the fact it will consistently arrive at 4am every day is a positive for retailers.
“The timing of the early morning St Malo departure and late afternoon departure from Guernsey to St Malo gives opportunity for increased day trip traffic from France. Likewise the lunchtime arrival on a Saturday in St Malo will be attractive for those Guernsey residents embarking on a holiday in France.
“In terms of UK travel, lunchtime arrivals and early afternoon departures from Poole allows for easier onward travel.
“Brittany have included a weekly inter-island crossing in the schedule but the intention would be to increase frequency combined with the Jersey ferry operator. This aspect of the schedule is subject to further development and agreement with Jersey.”
President of Chamber of Commerce, Stephen Rouxel, said: ” Since Guernsey publicised its decision last month, we have had to opportunity to meet with government and challenge the decisions and challenge the tender process on an arm’s length basis.
“The new schedule, assuming Jersey does not select Brittany ferries next week, this presents an excellent opportunity to strengthen our connections with our French neighbours, enhancing both tourism and trade while expanding the import of food and other goods from France. We have already met with our Chamber counterparts in St. Malo to proactively seize these opportunities and ensure we maximise the benefits this schedule can bring.
“While we see significant potential in this new arrangement and are committed to supporting our members through the transition, we remain concerned about the challenges it introduces. These include the loss of economies of scale, added complexity for freight logistics, and the current absence of an inter-island service. Despite these issues, we are committed to collaboration and working together to make this transition a success for our community.”
Picture Credit: Tony Rive
