Guernsey will be putting £150,000 towards a new company that has been set up by the island’s former Harbour Master to try and fill the gap in inter-island ferry services.
It comes amid mounting frustration about the lack of planned inter-island connectively, with a petition launched by a concerned Guernsey resident last week attracting almost 500 signatures.
The problem follows the breakdown of a joint tender exercise between the islands last October, with Guernsey taking the unilateral decision to sign a contract with Brittany Ferries and Jersey subsequently confirming its choice of Danish operator DFDS.
Both companies, as well as the Bailiwicks’ respective governments, have indicated that they are committed to offering links between the two largest Channel Islands.
Brittany Ferries has released a timetable with one weekly inter-island crossing on a Wednesday, but no information has yet been provided by DFDS on inter-island sailings.
But Guernsey company Islands Unlimited intends to start daily sailing between Jersey and Guernsey in June, with an adult fare costing approximately £67.
Managing Director, Captain Chad Murray previously told Express that this foot passenger only service would fill some of the gap created when the islands joint ferry tender process broke down and Guernsey and Jersey went with different operators – neither of which are contractually obligated to sail between the two.
Guernsey’s Committee for Economic Development has now pledged £150,000 in financial support for the a foot passenger service between the two islands.
Captain Murray said: “The Islands Unlimited team are incredibly pleased to have financial support from the Committee for Economic Development which is demonstrative of the States’ commitment to enabling good connectivity.
“The Islands Unlimited Team are working hard to ensure that we can deliver on our published schedule in 2025, and we very much look forward to releasing further information when it becomes available about our services and welcoming you on board.”
Guernsey politician Deputy Neil Inder, the President of the Committee for Economic Development, said he and the committee are very grateful to other Guernsey investors who have also seen merit in supporting this “unique opportunity” to enable the new foot passenger service to launch.
“On behalf of the Committee, I am pleased to be able to offer financial support to Islands Unlimited as they continue to develop their business to offer sea passenger services between Guernsey and Jersey,” he said.
“Ensuring that there are various options and carriers to facilitate inter-island sea connectivity is increasingly important and Islands Unlimited proposal to bring into service a 200-seat capacity high speed vessel the summer presents the islands with a very exciting and much needed opportunity.”
Islands Unlimited published its summer timetable offering two Jersey-Guernsey return sailings on weekdays and three return sailings on weekends earlier this month.
The company is in the process of procuring a suitable vessel and hopes to deliver services for this summer season.
The Islands Unlimited service will be for foot passengers only.