Visitors could be allowed to sail in to any of the Bailiwick’s islands or bays without coming through St Peter Port or Braye Harbour first, under specific exemptions being proposed to encourage tourism.
The Bailiwick’s current Customs Law means that it is an offence to land goods or passengers anywhere other than at an approved port.
The only approved ports in the Bailiwick are St Peter Port and St Sampson’s Harbour in Guernsey and Braye Harbour in Alderney. Goods can be landed at any of the three approved ports, while passengers are dealt with at St Peter Port or Braye Harbour.
Passenger carrying vessels must first stop at either St Peter Port or Braye Harbour before moving on to their destination if elsewhere in the Bailiwick, including Herm or Sark. Home Affairs is now suggesting that law is changed, under certain circumstances.
The Committee said there are circumstances where permitting a vessel (or aircraft) to land at a non-approved port is appropriate. It says this would normally be to support a Bailiwick interest, such as encouraging tourism.
The proposed change is close to one that some Sark residents and politicians have asked for in the past as it would allow visitors – including those from Jersey and further afield – to sail straight there rather than coming via Guernsey first.
Exemptions have previously been given, including for Jersey day-trippers to sail straight in to Sark, and that could continue under the amended law if the States agree.
However, the issue has previously caused problems for visitors – with hundreds of people cancelling a trip from Jersey to Herm last summer when they were told they’d have to come via Guernsey rather than go straight in to Herm Harbour.
Deputy Rob Prow, President of the Committee for Home Affairs, said the proposed change would enable the Guernsey Border Agency to regulate the matter under a legislative basis and take enforcement action where necessary while making life simpler for visitors.
“Having secure and properly controlled borders is very important for the Bailiwick, as it protects our invaluable place in the Common Travel Area, however there are occasions a concession is suitable, for example a day trip from Jersey to Sark.
“The amendment this policy letter proposes will not change current practices but will ensure that concessions will be authorised lawfully rather than administratively. We also anticipate this will likely give more flexibility to private vessel arrivals subject to certain conditions and restrictions.”
Sark’s call for a Customs Officer
The proposed law change would still leave overall responsibility for entry to the Bailiwick in the hands of Guernsey’s Home Affairs Committee, with Guernsey and Alderney still having the only approved ports.
Residents and organisations in Sark have previously called for the island to have its own customs officer saying it would benefit their economy.
The Sark Newspaper has previously led calls for the change, with editor Kevin Delaney writing in 2019 that having a Customs Officer in Sark would improve the island’s security as well as benefiting its economy.
In 2018, Sark’s Chamber of Commerce had stated that people travelling to the island from outside of the Bailiwick were treated as a “lesser priority” than those travelling to and from Guernsey when problems occurred.
As Sark’s tourism woes have continued in the post-covid era, the island is still trying to attract visitors from outside of the Bailiwick.
In 2023, the island highlighted its connections with Jersey and France as an area for improvement.