Fourth vessel added to Ports of Jersey services fleet

Sunday 11 February 2024

A fourth workboat has been added to the island’s fleet as Ports of Jersey seeks to attract further income.

The five-year-old vessel Viking Energy joins the Duke of Normandy, the Duchess and the Elisa in the Marine Services fleet.

In recent years, Ports has generated a growing income through leasing out boats, with the three existing vessels having worked for an average of around 290 days last year.

In 2019, the Duke of Normandy tug was said to be bringing in around £750,000 per year, having formerly been confined to local waters and costing around £800 per day in upkeep.

The Viking Energy is a five-year-old shallow-draft multi-purpose workboat, which is currently working on a project in Romania.

The vessel is expected to operate around the UK and EU supporting a range of marine projects.

Donford Nicholas, Head of Marine Services, said: “Our Marine Services Team has developed a new income stream for Ports of Jersey.

“As always, any profit from our operating activities off-island is ploughed back into the business, as we continue to develop and invest in services for the benefit of islanders, visitors, and businesses.”

The Duke of Normandy, the Duchess and the Elisa have been used on a range of projects during the past 12 months in ports including Felixstowe, Harwich, Liverpool, Southampton, and on the installation of a gas pipeline in Estonia.

All three vessels were also involved in windfarm projects in 2023 off the coast of the UK and in Holland, while the Duchess returned to Jersey in December to assist with the berthing trials of the Finlandia Seaways freight vessel.

Ports said it allocated £5.3 million from its commercial revenues for the purchase of the Viking Energy. The income from the other three vessels in 2023 was £4.5 million.