Guernsey signs 15-year contract with Brittany Ferries

The contract means the firm will provide the Guernsey's lifeline ferries until 2040

The States of Guernsey has signed a 15-year contract with Brittany Ferries to deliver the island's ferry services, it has announced.

The contract means Brittany Ferries will provide ferries between the island, the UK and France until 2024, as well as some services to Jersey.

Neil Inder, President of the Committee for Economic Development, said Guernsey had not committed public money to support the service as Brittany Ferries believed the routes would be commercially viable.

Inder said the new contract provided the "right balance" between allowing Brittany Ferries to make money and "providing the lifeline services that we need".

A spokesperson for the States said the company was "providing a full financial and operational guarantee over the services in the contract".

Guernsey had picked Brittany Ferries as its preferred bidder in October, subject to commercial negotiations.

Brittany Ferries is the parent company of current operator Condor.

The firm said Condor is to be rebranded as Brittany Ferries Channel Islands.

Jersey on Tuesday named Danish firm DFDS as its preferred bidder for its ferry routes, ending Condor's relationship with Jersey after 60 years.