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Brittany Ferries is doing berthing trials in St Helier this week, and its ship will be coming back to do them in Guernsey too.
As a shareholder of Condor Ferries, it's understood that the trials are part of the company's business continuity planning.
The Barfleur - a 157m long ro-ro passenger ferry - arrived in Jersey earlier this morning.
People gathered at St Helier's Albert Pier and Elizabeth Terminal to watch her enter the harbour.
Plumes of smoke filled the air as two tugs – Mercia and Handfast – helped guide the ship in across calm waters.
Above: Some Islanders watched from their cars outside the terminal, while others gathered along the Albert Pier as the Barfleur entered Jersey's harbour.
Just weeks after it was announced that Condor’s Chief Executive, John Napton, was being replaced on an interim basis by Brittany Ferries chief executive Christophe Mathieu, the firm's vessel, Barfleur, pulled alongside at the west berth by the Elizabeth Terminal.
Ports of Jersey employees could be seen gathering at the west berth to greet Barfluer, as Mercia pulled away from the stern to join Handfast alongside the vessel – slowly nudging it into position.
The ship currently operates up to two crossings daily between Poole and Cherbourg, carrying up to 900 passengers and 590 cars.
The vessel dwarfs the 102-metre Condor Liberation, which has capacity for 880 passengers and 245 cars, while Condor Voyager is 97 metres long and has space for 850 passengers and 235 cars.
Barfleur is also larger than the 129-metre Commodore Clipper, which has space for 300 passengers and 100 cars.
Pictured: Two tugs helped to guide Barfleur - which is longer than any of Condor's vessels - alongside Jersey's west berth during the berthing trial this morning.
The Brittany Ferries ship was built at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Finland and entered service in April 1992.
It is shorter than the 162-metre cargo ship Finlandia Seaways, which last year became the largest vessel ever to berth in the Channel Islands.
In a statement, Ports of Jersey said that Brittany Ferries, which is a shareholder of Condor Ferries, was undertaking the trial “as part of its own business continuity plans”.
A spokesperson for the States of Guernsey said "a similar trial is due to take place in Guernsey at a later date which is yet to be confirmed. Once the trial is scheduled Guernsey Ports will notify stakeholders."
Pictured: The Brittany Ferries Barfleur won't be the first vessel to complete berthing trials in CI waters in recent months.
While it is longer than all of Condor's ships, the 23m wide Barfleur is shorter than the Finlandia DFDS Seaways which carried out berthing trials in both Jersey and Guernsey in December. That vessel is 162m long.
Both Guernsey and Jersey officials described the Finlandia DFDS Seaways' berthing trials as a success at the time.
That had come at a time of uncertainty over Condor Ferries resilience and commitment to the islands, with the ferry firm having to respond to rumours about its future as the service provider for the Channel Islands.
Earlier in the month, the ferry firm had confirmed it was working to resolve a “temporary but challenging time” while denying it was going into administration.
Condor’s current operating agreement with Jersey expires next year, while Guernsey's Memorandum of Understanding is also subject to re-assessment.
Pictured top: The Brittany Ferries Barfleur (Bernard Delmont).
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