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A 10-year partnership has been agreed between Portsmouth International Port and Condor Ferries to continue providing passenger and freight services to the Channel Islands.
It comes as the recently purchased Condor Islander sits in Santander, waiting to make the final leg of its trip from New Zealand to the English Channel.
An undefined emergency led to a decision whereby Guernsey loaned the firm millions of pounds to buy its new ferry, the Condor Islander.
While the Committee behind the decision continues to be grilled on the purchase, the details of a new service-level agreement between Guernsey and Condor are yet to be finalised and made public.
This morning, Portsmouth International Port released a statement claiming that the new 10-year partnership would ensure “essential freight can continue to flow to businesses and residents based in the Channel Islands”.
Pictured: The new vessel, the Condor Islander, is yet to reach the Channel Islands and as of this week was in Santander.
"I'm delighted that we've signed this 10-year agreement with one of our longest standing customers. We are proud to play our part in providing these essential lifeline ferry service to the Channel Islands,” said Business Development Manager at Portsmouth International Port, Ian Palacio.
"With the port's excellent location right next to the UK's motorway network, we look forward to working closely with Condor Ferries to continue to boost trade and tourism between the UK and the Channel Islands."
The news has also been welcomed by Condor’s CEO, John Napton, who said: “We are naturally very pleased to conclude this agreement as it secures Condor’s priority services to the Islands from Portsmouth for the foreseeable future.”
It’s currently unclear how this recent development feeds into the ongoing negotiations between the States of Guernsey and Condor.
Jersey's Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel said: "I remain committed to working with our States of Guernsey counterparts, as we have shared objectives to secure high quality, resilient sea connectivity. Both islands depend upon – and benefit hugely from – our sea links and I am confident that we can meet our shared Channel Island objectives in any new arrangement. This announcement of a long-term agreement between Condor and PIP does not change our outlook or approach."
Guernsey's Chief Minister, Deputy Peter Ferbrache, recently told Express that both Guernsey and Jersey would be meeting within the next few weeks to discuss agreements between the islands and the ferry service.
"We do appreciate it's urgent. The Jersey-Condor agreement runs out in less than two years – Condor wants to know where they're going, Jersey and the people of Guernsey want to know where they are going,” he said.
"Guernsey has never had a written agreement with Condor, we've had a Memorandum of Understanding, but effectively we dovetailed into the Jersey arrangements without being legally bound by them because it makes sense.”
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