Hopes fade for daily inter-island ferry service

Friday 23 March 2018

Hopes of a daily inter-island ferry service appear to be dead in the water, with just a few weeks to go before the new service was supposed to start.

Following a tendering process, the French shipping company Manche Iles-Express emerged as the "preferred bidder" for the service, but they say they are still waiting for the States to make a final decision on their proposed timetable, two weeks after it was put forward. The service was planned to start in May.

However, the company has also warned that the service will fall short of what was previously announced, because they say there is not the market for daily day trips between the islands.

Olivier Normand, of Manche Iles' Sales Department, told Express that the ball is currently in the States' court. "It is entirely in their hands. We have given them the dates for the service, the precise schedules and the prices. We are waiting to hear from them.

"There will be a big difference between what was announced and what will actually exist. It will be reduced compared to what the States and the media announced. There is not a market during the weekend. 

"The majority of the market are local people in Jersey and Guernsey and they travel mainly over the weekend. We had already doubled our sailings but we have offered to run an additional departure from Guernsey in the middle of the week. We put that offer to the States, with a price, and it is now up to them to choose what they want."

Manche Iles recently released its timetables for 2018 with twice as many crossings between Jersey and Guernsey between April and September compared to last year. In addition, it will also operate a double ferry service on Saturdays to cover Guernsey and Jersey local markets with early departures from both islands, once a month in May, June and September and twice a month in July and August. They are priced £32 for an adult and £19 for a child.

Between Guernsey and Jersey, there are currently only seven day trips from May to September on the timetable, priced £37 for an adult and £26 for a child.

Pictured: Granville, one of the vessels travelling regularly to Jersey and Guernsey.

Back in December, the States launched a tender progress to find an operator prepared to offer day trips between the islands:

"The successful operator will provide day-trips between the islands for residents, tourists and commuters, to operate from the beginning of May to the end of September, starting in 2018. The aim of the service is to deliver additional passenger numbers to both islands, resulting in increased economic impact due to additional spending. It will make it easier for visitors to ‘island hop’, and will improve social, cultural and sporting links between the two islands.

"To help establish a regular and viable service, both governments are prepared to offer a level of financial assistance in the form of an underwrite, should it be necessary. The tender exercise is intended to identify and select an operator who would be able to access this underwrite."

In total, nine expressions of interests, and two formal tender submissions, were received. Whilst the Manche Iles-Express submission did not fully meet the scheduling requirements set out in the Invitation to Tender (ITT), it represented in the region of 25,000 extra seats.

Senator Lyndon Farnham, Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture in Jersey, confirmed that an offer had been made and that it was being considered. He however said that a daily ferry service between the two islands had never been on the table. He explained: "At the moment, we have an extra 20,000 seats compared to last year, we are looking at how we can increase that. We have received an offer and are looking at options. These things take time, you can't do it overnight. We have to make the right decision."

Senator Farnham added that the States of Jersey and Guernsey would not be subsidising Manche Iles for the extra service, having preferred an 'underwrite' instead. 

Speaking during the States of Guernsey meeting this week, Deputy Charles Parkinson, the President of Economic Development, echoed that saying the service wouldn't be subsidised. 

Mr Normand said that if a decision is made soon, the extra sailings can start on time:  "Once a decision is made, it will be very quick. We will confirm the departure times and will be ready to go. We are still within schedule but we must not delay too much."