It’s possibly the worst-kept secret on the sea… after months of speculation, and online ferry fan frenzy, DFDS has finally confirmed that it has snapped up one of Condor’s old ships – and given it a new name.
The Commodore Goodwill freight vessel, which has been a familiar sight in Channel Island waters for almost three decades, is now officially part of the Danish ferry giant’s fleet and will return to Jersey service under a new name, the Caesarea Trader.
Mounting speculation and a €14m price tag
Once vital to Jersey’s supply lines, the 126m Commodore Goodwill went on the market with a €14m price tag in February, listed on a German website and shipselector.com, after the island decided to part ways with its key ferry operator of two decades.
By the end of April, several online forums – including the 12,700-member-strong Channel Islands’ Ferry Users Group and the DFDS Ferry Forum, which has 26,000 users – highlighted “unconfirmed reports” that a sale had been agreed.
But Condor parent company Brittany Ferries and DFDS declined to comment when approached by Express at the time.
Now, more than two months later, DFDS has today confirmed that, following preparatory work in dry dock, the vessel will replace the MV Arrow on routes connecting Jersey with Portsmouth and Saint Malo.
It did not confirm the final sale price, however.
“Additional capacity and better schedules” promised
Jersey route director Chris Parker said DFDS was “dedicated to supporting Jersey’s connectivity and economic resilience through dependable freight services and continuous investment in its fleet”.
“We are delighted to be able to announce the acquisition of Goodwill which will provide additional capacity and better schedules for our freight customers,” he added.
“We are working hard to get Goodwill ready for service and in the meantime MV Arrow and her crew will continue to provide an excellent service for the Island.”
Mr Parker said the acquisition did not change the company’s plans for new vessels to serve the Island, including which will include a new RoRo vessel.”
What’s in a name?
Launched in 1996, the 126m Goodwill freight vessel, which also has 12 passengers cabins, had been serving the Channel Islands ever since until Condor’s contract ended in March. Currently registered in the Bahamas, it’s due to be ‘reflagged’ as a UK-registered vessel.
Its new name, Caesarea Trader, pays homage to what’s believed to be Jersey’s Latin name, Caesarea.
It’s said that the Romans decided to name the island after their Emperor, and that the name was eventually corrupted to Jersey.
However, there’s also evidence to suggest the name given was Andium – which is used today by Jersey’s main social housing provider, Andium Homes.