New ferry boss says first schedule due to go live

A partial ferry schedule for Jersey is due to be published but inter-island services are still a work in progress, the new service boss has said.

Danish operator DFDS was awarded the 20-year contract to operate Jersey's ferry services following a tender process that ended Condor's 60-year relationship with the island.

Chris Parker, DFDS route director, said a schedule for northbound services from Jersey to Poole and Portsmouth would be published on Wednesday, replacing a provisional timetable on its website.

But he said they were "still working" on other routes, including those between Jersey and Guernsey.

Mr Parker told the BBC: "We've been working very hard with stakeholders in the islands to try to make sure we've got connectivity both northbound and southbound.

"That will take some time of course and it will be a process, so even when we publish we are likely to add even more departures in."

He said they needed to meet minimum requirements of the tender but also cater to "additional demand".

Southbound schedules will be published over the coming weeks, he added, and bosses were having "regular meetings" regarding links between the Channel Islands.

"We need to work with both governments and other operators," he added, referring in part to Brittany Ferries, Condor's parent company, which signed a 15-year contract to run Guernsey's ferry service.

He said inter-island connectivity was "extremely important" but that this would be reliant on "help from both governments".

Mr Parker said the tender process - which led to a legal dispute - had been "very difficult".

Up to 30 roles are being recruited for and he said there was a "high degree of interest" from former Condor employees, who would be " important for service continuity".

Mr Parker said "visibility, transparency and reliability" were among the firm's key priorities.

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