Condor pull the plug on bid for inter-island route

Thursday 25 January 2018

Condor and Bachmann HR have pulled out of the tender race for a summertime inter island ferry between Jersey and Guernsey.

The service would be a foot-passenger only ferry, increasing the number of day trips people can take between the Channel Islands.

The idea first came about in 2017, but the States of Guernsey's Economic Development Committee decided not to back the venture at that time, causing it to fall through. 

Now, Condor has said it is pulling out of the tender for the 2018 service because of how long the procurement phase has taken, leaving it not enough time to prepare and deploy any service for this year's summer months.

"The four months taken during the procurement phase has meant that we have been unable to commit to these two ships [that they intended to use on the route], and are aware that they are in the process of being deployed elsewhere," a spokesperson for the ferry service said.

"Furthermore, the terms of the tender have also changed as the original one-year trial became five years, and we remain concerned that there is only a very short timeframe available to prepare and launch the new service."

Above: A portion of Condor's statement, explaining the process they have been through since early 2017.

In response to Condor’s decision, an Economic Development spokesperson said: "The tender period closed on January 18 and the responses are currently being evaluated. An announcement will be made on the outcome of the tender process as soon as it is possible to do so, bearing in mind commercial confidentialities."

The process for the 2018 trial began at the end of last summer with both States initiating an expression of interest request for any prospective operators to come forwards. 

A total of nine businesses, including Condor and Bachmann, did so, Economic Development has previously confirmed.

Condor's spokesperson added that this left the States with "ample choice of operator" and said it would be "happy to offer help if appropriate to the successful bidder".

Other potential operators include Bumblebee - which previously ran a ferry service between Guernsey and Alderney - and Manche Iles, a Channel Islands/France operator.