Damaged Condor Liberation ferry out of service until February

Welders and contractors assessed the damage to the ferry in Poole

A ferry damaged during severe weather will stay out of service until the end of February, its operator has announced.

The Condor Liberation was damaged when the vessel was blown against its berth in Poole Harbour in December.

Condor said the repairs were scheduled for the quietest point of the year and services were unlikely to be affected.

The £50m vessel has offered the only fast ferry between Guernsey, Jersey and the UK, since March.

The Condor Rapide has had its maintenance postponed so the Liberation can be repaired

The belting above the water line, designed to protect the ship's hull, was damaged in the Dorset port by Storm Frank.

The firm had originally planned to put the older Condor Rapide into dry dock in January for planned maintenance, which is a legal requirement.

However, since the Liberation was damaged maintenance on the two vessels has been switched.

Condor said both ferries would be in service for the February half-term school holiday, with the Rapide returning to the dry dock at the end of the month.

The Condor Liberation

27 March - First sailing from Poole after three months of sea trials

28 March - Suffered minor damage to protective belting while mooring in bad weather in St Peter Port

5 April - Returned to service after delays to repairs caused by poor weather

8 April - Sailings from Guernsey to Jersey cancelled because of a recurring electrical fault in an engine

11 April - Problems with a ramp for loading vehicles delayed a crossing from Poole by 40 minutes

9 May - Services on Liberation Day, after which the vessel was named, were cancelled after problems with one of its two bow-thrusters

18 September - Problems with the exhaust system led to cancellations and delays

31 December - Vessel damaged while moored in Poole Harbour