Tender opens for Channel Island ferry services

Condor Ferries has the current contract with Jersey until 2025 and a memorandum of understanding in Guernsey

The bidding process to run ferry services to Guernsey and Jersey has been formally opened.

The States of Guernsey and Government of Jersey said the next phase of the joint-procurement process for ferry services started on Tuesday.

Both governments said tenders were being invited from applicants who have the necessary experience and capability to run the services.

They said the deadline for bids was 8 July and they expected to make a final decision by the end of the year.

Earlier this year, both governments said they were looking for expressions of interest from companies that wanted to run ferry services.

Currently Condor Ferries has a contract with Jersey running until next year while Guernsey has a memorandum of understanding with the firm.

Bosses at Condor have previously said the company was in the best position to continue operating ferry services in the Channel Islands.

Danish firm DFDS has announced an interest in bidding to run ferry services and has conducted berthing trials with its boats in St Peter Port and St Helier harbours.

Danish firm DFDS has carried out berthing trials as part of its show of interest in running the islands' ferry services

Deputy Neil Inder, President of Guernsey's Committee for Economic Development said the process would be open and impartial.

He added any significant updates would be provided as the tendering process continued.

Mr Inder said: "We remain on track to complete the overall process and make a final decision before the end of the year, in time for when the current agreement ends."

Jersey's Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said both governments were keen to secure the best possible ferry services for the islands.

"The islands are working together with the shared objective of finding the operator which can deliver the best service in terms of resilience, reliability, passenger experience and sustainability," he said.