CONDOR is working to fix one of its high-speed vessels – that had only just returned to service after undergoing maintenance – after it encountered “technical problems” on a sailing from Cherbourg to Jersey.
Liberation left the French port on Sunday morning but was forced to head back in the afternoon, despite being just off the Island’s west coast.
A spokesperson for the ferry company said yesterday this was due to “technical problems”, which are currently being assessed by engineers.
The ferry company apologised to customers, calling the cancellation “extremely frustrating”.
One passenger, Sarah Hilton – who was able to return on a Commodore Clipper sailing yesterday – said that Liberation got close enough to the Island that she could see the hotel where she works.
“But then we turned around,” she said. “It was galling, especially when you are already feeling sick and tired.”
She added that Condor had made an announcement explaining that the issue related to one of the engines. However, she said that the staff on board were “lovely” and noted that “the captain wouldn’t have wanted to make that decision”.
In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, Condor said passengers were being accommodated on alternative sailings.
“Commodore Clipper is operating between Cherbourg, Jersey and Guernsey today [Monday] while other passengers are being routed to the Islands via Portsmouth on Brittany Ferries and utilising our other services over the next few days.
“Condor Liberation returned to Cherbourg on Sunday afternoon after suffering technical problems and is currently being assessed by engineers. The cancellation of these sailings has been extremely frustrating and we sincerely regret the disruption and inconvenience caused.”
The spokesperson added that Liberation had “only just” returned from planned maintenance in dry dock.
They continued: “We are working with the manufacturer, MTU, part of the RollsRoyce Group, to investigate and remedy the problem as soon as possible. Freight sailings to the Islands this week are unaffected through scheduling additional capacity using Commodore Goodwill. Our larger fleet now means we have more options for alleviating these situations.”
The disruption comes not long after several high-speed sailings were cancelled amid high winds and rough seas caused by Storm Gerrit over the holiday period, which left a number of Islanders stranded in France and the UK.
Condor’s chief executive, John Napton, recently dismissed rumours that the ferry firm had entered administration, after the business issued a statement in which it said it was working with stakeholders to overcome a “challenging time”.
