Having taken over ro-ro ferry services to Jersey at the end of March, Danish ferry giant DFDS has come under fire for the level of service it is providing.
Criticisms include increased cost and journey times, less frequent departures and an absence of inter-island travel between Jersey and Guernsey.
This winter there will be no high-speed Poole sailings between November and the end of April whil the 85m Incat Levante Jet (/5,537gt) is dry-docked, although the St Malo HSC Tarifa Jet (/4,995gt) will cover some Easter sailings. DFDS states that it is not contractually obliged to provide a winter fast ferry to the UK, although previous operator Condor Ferries did provide a year-round service from Poole.
Jersey will continue to be served by the chartered ro-pax Stena Vinga (/14,551gt) from Portsmouth along with the freight ferry Caearea Trader (/11,166gt), formerly Condor’s Commodore Goodwill.
DFDS has stated this reduction in sailings will allow it to invest in new ferries and the long-term sustainability of routes, however Jersey’s Chief Minister has declared that the service falls short of what was promised.
Jersey has seen a 30 per cent reduction in sea passenger travel this year, although August saw an encouraging 4 per cent increase on UK routes compared to the same month last year. By contrast, Guernsey has seen a 16 per cent increase in numbers carried by Brittany Ferries, with its services from the French port of St Malo proving particularly popular.
Report and photo by Kevin Mitchell
