Ferry firm calls minister's comments 'ridiculous'

Kirsten Morel said the reason an inter-island service was not in DFDS's contract was because Guernsey ended the joint ferry tender process

A ferry company has hit back at claims made by Jersey's economic development minister, that problems with the inter-island ferry service are due to Guernsey ending the joint tender process before Jersey had made its decision.

A spokesperson for Brittany Ferries, which won the Guernsey contract, said there must be "something in the deputy's water" after the comments from Deputy Kirsten Morel.

Morel made the comments after DFDS, Jersey's ferry operator had to cancel several inter island sailings because of tide and staffing issues.

Brittany Ferries described Morel's comments as "ridiculous."

Initial plans for a single provider to serve both islands were disrupted last year when Guernsey announced they had chosen Brittany Ferries before Jersey had made it's decision.

Jersey later chose DFDS leaving the two islands with separate providers.

After DFDS was selected as Jersey's ferry operator, Morel said while an inter-island service wasn't a formal part of the tender process it was something the company understood it would have to provide.

When asked if in hindsight an inter-island service should have been a formal part of the ferry tender process, Morel said: "What happened is that Guernsey ended the joint process and we had to go alone on our own process which meant we couldn't include Guernsey in that. So it's a moot point.

"Guernsey controls its own port and as I understand it prioritises the use of its port for that operator so it wasn't possible for us without having any of the information they had to include it in the tender process.

"It's had an effect on the inter-island service."

In response to the minister's comments, Brittany Ferries said in a statement: "There must be something in the deputy's water. There can be no other explanation for such a ridiculous response to the withdrawal of DFDS inter-island services.

"No doubt, Jersey residents and businesses will see through this for what is.

"Just a reminder: the reason DFDS were disqualified from the first bid process was a clause that allowed them to change schedules on whim, up prices at their convenience and change service levels with impunity."

"Et voila, Deputy Morel: all your chickens are coming home to roost."

DFDS has been contacted for a comment.