Guernsey’s Committee for Economic Development has selected Brittany Ferries as the preferred bidder to provide lifeline sea links for the island.
In what was supposed to be a joint procurement process between Jersey and Guernsey, Jersey has yet to announce their decision, which could be different.
At this stage Guernsey and Jersey have not reached a shared view on how to proceed, however Guernsey’s Committee wanted to provide certainty for island residents and businesses following the joint tender exercise run during the last 10 months jointly with the Government of Jersey.
The Government of Jersey told Channel Eye (on 31st October): “We recognise the importance of this decision for all Islanders as this is a 15-year contract for lifeline ferry services, and we are doing everything possible to ensure a swift conclusion. We’re planning to meet with both bidders in the next 24 hours, as we have further questions that need to be answered.”
However, on 4th November, Jersey’s Government still haven’t made a decision, with the Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Deputy Kirsten Morel, saying: “There have been further positive discussions today concerning our lifeline ferry services. We are considering the legal, commercial, and financial implications of the bids, including additional legal advice received today. I understand the frustration of islanders that a decision has not yet been made, but the complications created by the situation we find ourselves in are extensive and we need to ensure we have all the information to make the correct decision. A further announcement will be made tomorrow (Tuesday 5th November).”
The Guernsey Committee decided unanimously to appoint Brittany Ferries as its preferred bidder, subject to further negotiations on some elements of the contract, after careful and thorough consideration of all bids.
The Committee’s view was that Brittany Ferries were able to provide full assurance that they had access to a suitable fleet and would be able to begin operations immediately and seamlessly, with the summer schedule ready to be published shortly. Final contract negotiations will now take place with the expectation that a formal agreement will be reached in November.
This means that Brittany Ferries will provide the island’s lifeline sea links, freight services and passenger services, using its management and infrastructure as well as deploying Condor’s current fleet.
Guernsey’s preference remains a shared pan Channel Island service with Jersey, but they await word from their Jersey partners; expected tomorrow.
The Committee for Economic Development considers the process is robust and concluded after evaluation and moderation were done by Guernsey and Jersey officers together.
In appointing Brittany as the preferred bidder, Guernsey is moving into another process; the decision being taken today does not preclude Jersey also selecting the same operator in the future.
Guernsey said that the benefits of the Brittany Ferries tender include:
- A service operated with the backing of one of Europe’s largest ferry operators – The bid is submitted by Brittany Ferries, with a turnover of approximately €450m in 2023, operating nine vessels with 2,500 employees, now the majority shareholder in Condor, which itself has served the Channel Islands for more than 50 years.
- Assurance of fleet – Brittany Ferries has provided assurance that it will be able to deploy the current Condor fleet as the majority shareholder of that business. There will be a smooth and seamless transition to the new arrangements, which will ensure that the minimum service requirements continue to be met and the schedules for 2025 can be published shortly;
- A different deployment of the current fleet – the fleet will be used differently to ensure that services have greater resilience, and optimise connections between Guernsey, the UK and St Malo for local residents, visitors to the islands and freight users. The Committee remains committed to maintaining inter-island travel, and as a priority will work with all interested parties to do all it can to retain this important link for both islands; and the President of Economic Development has spoken today with his counterpart and has been assured that if there is a divergence between the Islands, those negotiations will be at the forefront of their ongoing relationship.
- The right balance of risk and opportunity.
- The fact that the business already has a large scale, very strong foothold in France, Spain and the UK and well-regarded standards and ethos of the Brittany brand, which includes a strong customer service focus and back up to deal with contingencies.
Deputy Neil Inder, President of the Committee for Economic Development, said: “Over the past 10 months we have undertaken a joint tender exercise with the Government of Jersey for the Island’s critical lifeline sea links. The tender process has been robust, and the Committee has reached an evidence-based conclusion. On that basis the Committee has decided unanimously to appoint Brittany Ferries as its preferred bidder, subject to further negotiations on some elements of the contract.
“At this stage Guernsey and Jersey have not reached a shared view on how to proceed. That is not for me to comment on, and I understand political discussions in Jersey are ongoing. All I can say at this stage is that while both islands share common objectives, agreement has not yet been reached on the best way to jointly deliver those objectives.
“The Committee has not taken the decision to push ahead alone at this stage lightly, but following the objective evaluation process Brittany Ferries’ bid was successful and we are committed to providing certainty to islanders as soon as we were able to do so.
“An arrangement will be put in place with Brittany Ferries which leaves the door open for Jersey if Jersey does decide to seek a different approach. This outcome is not a failure of the tender process. The process has enabled us to consider and test a number of different options and secure the best possible deal for islanders.
“We are very pleased to be working with Brittany Ferries, given that they already have the fleet and infrastructure to provide the services, a commitment to enhancing those services, and the 2025 schedule will be published during November. This gives supply lines, shops and supermarkets, logistics and employees of the winning bidder the certainty they so desperately needed.
“If we do move to a Guernsey-only service from Brittany Ferries, the new arrangement would mean that the way that some services operate will be changed, but we will have the same freight and passenger capacity for our community, improved resilience in the fleet, and the benefit of Brittany Ferries’ expertise, willingness to innovate, and commitment to improved customer services. We will then move to considering how we can secure investment in new vessels.
“This has not been an easy process at times, but it has been thorough and approached by the States of Guernsey in a professional manner – in line with the expectations our community would have for such a significant decision and for the use of their money.
“At this stage we now move into a phase of commercial negotiation and continue to follow a proper process, which means a need to keep the ongoing discussions with Brittany confidential for understandable reasons. We will also continue talking to Jersey.”
Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries, said: “Naturally, we are thrilled that the States of Guernsey is to grant us a new operating licence and are grateful for the opportunity to develop our vital sea links over the next 15 years.
“As we have maintained from the beginning, we have the right ships, the right schedule and experience to support the Bailiwick in the long term.
“We also look forward to the Government of Jersey joining us in this initiative. With over 70 years of providing freight and passenger services to Guernsey and Jersey, collaborating will allow us to optimise the schedule for the benefit of both Islands.”
