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Tag: Condor ferries | Ferry Shipping News

Sep 15
2

Condor Ferries looks back on a successful peak travel period

By | 2024 Newsletter week 37 | No Comments

Condor Ferries reported a +14% Y-O-Y increase in overall network carryings during this year’s peak travel period (14 July – 3 September 2024), representing an increase in carryings of 26,874 compared to 2023. 

Of particular significance is the increase in passengers carried to and from the island of Jersey: during the peak 2024 period, Condor Ferries carried 19,217 additional car and foot passengers on UK and French services to and from Jersey compared to the same period in 2023 (+16%). 

Inter-island carryings increased by +75%: 15,369 passengers travelled between the Islands during this period in 2024, compared to 8,766 in 2023. The number of car and foot passengers travelling to and from Guernsey from the UK and France increased by 1,084, representing an increase of +2%. 

These promising figures are partly due to the altered summer schedule introduced in 2024, which increased the number of sailings on offer. CEO Christophe Mathieu commented: “The figures are very encouraging and would not have been achievable under the previous timetable which was adjusted at the start of the season. This offered improved frequency of sailings from St Malo and Jersey, along with extra capacity from the UK, thanks to Condor Islander’s first summer in service”. 

Looking ahead, Condor report strong growth in its late summer and early autumn bookings across all routes, with car volumes returning to pre-Covid levels. 

Aug 17
2

Brittany Ferries to become majority shareholder of Condor Ferries

By | 2024 Newsletter week 33 | No Comments

Brittany Ferries is to become the majority owner of Condor Ferries following recent changes in the ownership structure. (see also Ferry Shipping News, week 32)  

Condor Ferries is the passenger and freight ferry operator between the UK (Poole, Portsmouth), the Channel Islands and St. Malo in France. Condor was originally acquired in November 2019 by a consortium comprising Brittany Ferries and the London-based Columbia Threadneedle European Sustainable Infrastructure Fund. 

Subject to approval by the regulatory authorities in Jersey and Guernsey, the French ferry operator will assume majority ownership and operational control of the Channel Islands-based company in the next few weeks. 

In January this year, the Government of Jersey and States of Guernsey confirmed a procurement process for a new long-term operating agreement. Brittany Ferries is actively leading this bid and believes it and Condor are the right operators, with the right vessels and experience, to serve the Islands for many years to come. 

Once approved, Brittany Ferries will own 51% of Condor Ferries, with Columbia Threadneedle retaining a minority shareholding. 

Aug 09
2

Brittany Ferries is looking to become the majority stakeholder of Condor Ferries

By | 2024 Newsletter week 32 | No Comments

The Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority (JCRA) issued a notice of application for approval of a transaction regarding the sale of 22% of the shares in Condor to Brittany Ferries, with the option to buy 100% of the shares at a later date. 

Brittany Ferries (B.A.I. Bretagne Angleterre Irlande) already has a 29% stake in Condor. If the deal is approved, it will take it to 51%. 

Christophe Matthieu, Brittany Ferries’ CEO, is currently CEO ad interim at Condor Ferries. 

The deadline for comments is 20 August 2024. Details can be found here: JCRA (pdf)   

Mar 10
0

New hybrid electric vessel for Norled

By | 2023 Newsletter week 10 | No Comments

Norled and Brødrene Aa have entered into a contract for the construction of a new hybrid electric vessel, to be named BRE.

It will be used as a reserve vessel on Norled’s routes from Bodø to Væran and Gildeskål.  On these services she will have a hybridization rate of 70% electric operation.

When not operating on these routes, BRE will operate as a 100% electric sightseeing boat for Brim Explorer.

  • Passengers :  130 with space for luggage, bicycles and kayaks
  • Speed : 30 knots
  • Length : 24 metres
  • Battery : 1.2 MWh
  • Construction : Carbon Fibre

Photo: Brødrene Aa

Mar 10
0

Condor Ferries buys Straitsman

By | 2023 Newsletter week 10 | No Comments

With significant global interest, it is Condor Ferries that has succeeded in buying the ro-pax STRAITSMAN from Bluebridge Ferries, New Zealand.

As reported last week by FSN, operators including CTMA and CMAL/NorthLink Ferries were also in the running to acquire the ship.

Re-named and upgraded, the 125-metre vessel will enter service between the UK and France and the Channel Islands in the autumn.  Condor has said that the move will bring “greater resilience, capacity and connectivity”.

Condor Ferries has promised an overnight service in both directions from the UK and Channel Islands.  The new vessel will also provide additional passenger capacity in the event of Condor’s fast craft being affected by bad weather.

The larger fleet will also assist with inter-Island frequency and help to develop the growing freight services from France.

Built in 2005, the 400-passenger STRAITSMAN is very close in design to Condor’s existing ro-pax ferry, COMMODORE CLIPPER.  She previously operated in Europe as Bornholm’s DUEODDE.

Photo: Condor Ferries

Sep 15
0

Guernsey will not buy a new passenger ferry for the island

By | 2022 Newsletter week 37 | No Comments

In January 2022, the Policy & Resource Committee of Guernsey announced its intention to buy a ferry to lease to Condor Ferries.

“The idea was that a conventional ferry would add support to Condor’s current cluster of ships, which would give more security and an enhanced service to the island,” said the President of the Committee, Deputy Peter Ferbrache

Last week, the Policy & Resources Committee said it has abandoned plans to buy the island a new passenger ferry.

Apr 29
2

A Tunnel Connecting Finland And Estonia?

By | 2021 Newsletter week 17 | No Comments
  • 26 April 2021, Finland’s Minister of Transport and Communications and Estonia’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure signed a MoU on cooperation between the two countries in the transport sector.
  • The urpose of the MoU is cooperation in the transport sector and exchange of information between the countries in order to promote large-scale transport projects, such as the Helsinki-Tallinn tunnel, Rail Baltica, Trans-European Transport Networks, and North Sea-Baltic Sea core network corridor.
  • The MoU provides an improved environment for applying EU funding for the projects.
Read more (Finnish Government)