Condor cancels Jersey-St Malo sailings due to port strike

Sailings between Jersey and France have been cancelled for the second time because of industrial action by dock workers.

Last weekend, stevedores walked out in St Malo and the firm was unable to restart the route, suspended in March.

Condor Ferries said it could not resume the route on Friday due to plans for the French port to be blocked.

A weekly freight service between Portsmouth, the Channel Islands and St Malo will also not be operating.

The strikes follow the collapse of French stevedore company St Malo Manutention, last month.

All of Condor's St Malo sailings from 10-12 July have been cancelled as a result.

Condor Rapide also connects St Malo to Guernsey, but the route is out of service while Guernsey's borders remain closed.

Elwyn Dop, Condor's executive director of operations, said: "The situation is quite simply unacceptable. The ongoing disruption is hugely frustrating for passengers, freight customers and also our St Malo team.

"We had considered using alternative ports in order to offer a service between the island and mainland France, such as via Cherbourg, but this is no longer an option available to us due to the threat of a blockade there too."

The ferry operator added it was working with French authorities "to resolve the situation as quickly as possible".