Companies will get to bid for Channel Islands ferry link

Condor Ferries is the current operator for the island's, but its contract ends in March 2025

Jersey and Guernsey's governments are working together to secure long-term operating agreements for ferry links.

Both confirmed they had begun the first stage of the process for freight and passenger services.

Since December, both island ports have been carrying out berthing trials for new vessels.

The governments said there was a "contestable market for the provision of sea connectivity" and the first stage would be market testing.

They said the testing came during the "winding down period" of the current agreement with Condor Ferries, which was set to end in March 2025.

'Work in lockstep'

Previously, Condor Ferries refused to comment on the topic, but has now said it was "confident" it would "prove that we continue to be the right operator".

The government's said there was a "desire for both islands to offer one market and one opportunity for interested bidders".

Guernsey's president of the Committee for Economic Development, Neil Inder, said the governments needed to "work in lockstep" to get the best outcomes for both islands.

He said: "We are starting this process now in order to make sure it's completed in good time for when the current agreement comes to an end.

"We will welcome competitive submissions from prospective operators, including, of course, the current and long-standing operator Condor."

'Best services'

Jersey's minister for Sustainable Economic Development, Kirsten Morel, said the process was to ensure the "best possible freight and passenger services for the Channel Islands".

He said: "Condor has an operating agreement with Jersey, and a memorandum of understanding with Guernsey to provide our sea connectivity: 98% of goods consumed in Jersey arrive by sea, so every islander and every island business is reliant on these services.

"This procurement is an open and competitive process and we strongly encourage interest and engagement from all ferry operator parties within this initial market testing phase."

Condor Ferries CEO John Napton said the company had been "informed that a procurement process is the required next step for the government of Jersey to undertake, given we are in the run-off period before the end of the current Operating Agreement in March 2025".

He said it was "therefore logical" that Guernsey assessed its position with the existing memorandum of understanding at the same time.

He added: "We are confident that we will prove that we continue to be the right operator, with over 70 years' experience, for the islands' bespoke requirements."