Deputy confident in Guernsey-only ferry operator

The head of the committee overseeing the ferry tender process has said he is confident a Guernsey-only service will be able to meet the island's needs.

Last month the Economic Development committee went it alone in announcing Brittany Ferries, Condor's parent company, as its preferred bidder.

The Government of Jersey is yet to make a decision on its provider but it did offer current operator Condor a seven-month extension, which was subsequently rejected by the firm.

Committee president Deputy Neil Inder said: "I will respect whatever decision [Jersey] reaches, while being naturally disappointed if it's not joining us with a single provider."

Inder said the committee had made "good progress" in its discussions with Brittany Ferries, adding this made him confident in the company's ability to provide a Guernsey-only service.

Jersey Economic Development Minister Deputy Kirsten Morel previously said the joint tender process had broken down.

But Inder refuted this and said Jersey ministers were given two weeks' notice of Guernsey's intention to choose Brittany Ferries.

"The invitation for tender enabled either island to come to its own decision if a joint agreement could not be reached," he said.

"There seems to be an inaccurate narrative being purported about the process.

"We didn't break away from the process, we followed it throughout and a preferred bidder needed to be selected.

"We delivered the certainty our island deserves."

Morel said he would approach DFDS to run Jersey's services on an interim basis after Condor's refusal to extend its contract.

He told deputies he expected to announce the preferred firm "in the next month".

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