HD ready to sail again this week?

After the company’s ramp permit was again suspended, an emergency meeting was held yesterday involving a number of agencies. A new set of parameters for the vessel HD1 are being put in place to allow it to operate on three engines for some time ahead. A new part for the fourth engine is being manufactured in Sweden. Managing director Chris Howe Davies said: ‘If we had been unable to get agreement at yesterday’s meeting, we would have had to seriously consider our future.’ Meanwhile, St Brelade Deputy Sean Power says that Mr Howe Davies has told him that HD are concerned that they are involved in a ‘David v Goliath’ battle against bigger rival Condor. He claimed that the new ferry company was concerned that it was ‘not being given a level playing field’. HD1 was confined to port again over the weekend following more alleged difficulties in berthing in Jersey. But the ferry company denies that there was any incident and says that agreed procedures were followed.