DFDS has released its freight schedule for the northern sailing route from Jersey, with discussions reaching a conclusion with St. Malo port authorities to allow the imminent release of the south route timetable.
There will be 12 round sailings a week to the UK, between DFDS’s vessels Arrow and Stena Vinga, with one round sailing a week to St. Malo.
These schedules have been the result of ongoing discussions between DFDS, Government, key stakeholders and industry bodies to ensure that the needs of the island are being met.
A flat rate price of £56 per lane metre and £45 for commodities is to be applied in line with the terms of the tender, introducing transparency around ferry costs for the first time in Jersey. It is hoped this will encourage a more competitive market and provide greater certainty around the transportation of goods.
Chris Parker, Route Director for Jersey, said: “We would like to thank islanders for their patience ahead of freight timetables being agreed. We hope this marks a positive step forward for the island, with DFDS adopting this new structure to demonstrate a long-sighted commitment to connecting Jersey with its trade partners. We shall of course, continue to improve and refine our services, working with the community, but are pleased to be moving forward with operations.”
The Government of Jersey Chief Economist Tom Holvey said: “A move to a published flat rate card is encouraging. It will promote competition in the island, provide openness of this element of the vital supply chain, and remove a barrier to market entry, which over time will help keep prices as low as possible for islanders. If this did result in short-term price pressures, these would be expected to be below half a percentage point according to our calculations.”
