Talks underway for UK and France sailings

Wednesday 24 June 2020

Condor are in talks with Government with a view to resuming sailings between St. Malo, Poole and Jersey at the beginning of next month, with face masks and a cap of 250 passengers likely to be part of the ‘new normal’.

As trial sailings are due to start in Guernsey, Express has learned that talks are currently underway between the ferry company and Jersey’s Government to re-start local sailings to France and the UK around the same time.

A spokesperson for Condor told Express that it’s hoped St. Malo and Poole sailings will resume around the first weekend in July. 

They said: “We are talking separately to the States of Jersey with regard to resuming passenger services to the island and hope to restart on Friday 03 July from St Malo and from Poole on Saturday 04 July.”

Pictured: It's hoped sailings can resume in early July.

It follows Condor’s announcement yesterday that confirmed sailings on two dates between Poole and Guernsey as part of a transportation trial in conjunction with the public health authority and the States. 

Of this, the spokesperson emphasised that these sailings “are purely a trial agreed with the States in Guernsey for sailings from Poole on the two dates – 5 and 8 July. No extension to these is planned." 

The announcement in Guernsey has also given a sense of what sailing with Condor will be like in the wake of the pandemic. 

The ferry company will only cater to a reduced number of passengers – a ship that normally takes over 850 will be capped at 250 passengers – to allow space for physical distancing. Safety protocols will also restrict the number of travellers allowed in public lounges and distancing markers and barriers will be installed around food and beverage outlets which will now be self-service with card payments only being accepted. 

All passengers will be required to wear face coverings during travel and check-in times will be extended. 

Pictured: All passengers will have to wear face coverings whilst travelling.

Meanwhile, Jersey still awaits an official announcement on the outcome of a passenger testing ‘pilot’ that began at the end of last month.

The scheme, which has had 90% take-up, allows new arrivals to avoid self-isolation if they return a negative PCR (diagnostic) test result. However, if was only offered at the airport, but not at the harbour.

Government officials now say that there will be an announcement later this week about plans for Jersey’s future border policy. 

The Deputy Chief Minister, Lyndon Farnham, said: “We have already undertaken a comprehensive trial at Jersey Airport to introduce a testing regime on arrival, supported by track and trace, and this will pave the way for the opening of our ports in a manner that continues to protect our island, while sustaining our valuable visitor economy.” 

It comes amid mounting frustration from Jersey business community who have criticised the Government for procrastinating over the decision to let tourists back in, claiming that the lack of a visitors is suffocating local enterprises and costing the economy £500 a minute.