New ferry arrives for berthing trials

The MV Condor Islander was purchased with the help of nearly £30m of public money

Condor Ferries' new ship has arrived in the Channel Islands.

The MV Condor Islander arrived in Guernsey on Monday after undergoing engineering work in a shipyard in Spain since early June.

The vessel is conducting mooring trials to see how it can get into St Peter Port Harbour.

She will then undertake similar trials in St Helier, Jersey, and St Malo and Cherbourg, in France, before continuing her journey to the UK to complete her refit.

The vessel is conducting trials to see how it can get into St Peter Port Harbour

It was purchased earlier this year with the help of nearly £30m of public money.

The States of Guernsey and Condor will invest £3m into the boat and the States is also lending the ferry company £26m, to be paid back over a decade.

The money was spent after Civil Contingencies Authority chair Deputy Peter Ferbrache said the purchase was essential in preventing a "potential emergency".

Islander - acquired by Condor in April 2023 from New Zealand - can carry up to 400 passengers.

It is hoped that Islander will enter commercial service in October.