THE chief executive of Condor Ferries has criticised rival operator DFDS over the services it will be providing once it starts its new contract with Jersey.
Two months before DFDS is due to begin operations for services between the Island, St Malo and the south coast of England, Christophe Matthieu yesterday aimed a broadside at the Danish company over what he said was a dearth of fast-ferry options to Poole, slower crossings to France and fewer sailings compared to Condor.
Mr Matthieu, who is also chief executive of Condor’s parent company and losing Jersey bidder Brittany Ferries, hinted that his company might be ready to abandon any idea of further legal action against the decision by the Island’s government in early December to award a contract to DFDS. The legal bid by Brittany Ferries to seek a judicial review alleging “procedural unfairness and apparent bias” floundered after the Court of Appeal decided this month that it wouldn’t have a “realistic prospect of success”. Jersey launched its own selection process at the end of last year after Guernsey opted for Brittany Ferries.
In his email message to customers Mr Matthieu said: “You will be aware that our recent legal challenge to overturn the ferry tender decision did not go the way we had hoped.
“We fought with conviction because we believe in standing up for what’s right and whilst disappointed with the result, can take comfort in that we gave it our all.”
Mr Matthieu claimed that Condor would have provided 50% more crossings to England over the period of the timetable, with 747 sailings compared with 498. He argued that the 46 day-trips to St Malo in July and August they offered were more than DFDS had scheduled for the whole summer.
Mr Matthieu also highlighted the lack of fast-ferry services until 17 April, which DFDS has previously explained was caused by refurbishment work on its new fast-ferry Levante Jet.
And he pointed out that crossings from Jersey to St Malo would take 30 minutes longer – DFDS has said this scheduling was to provide greater reliability and would be beneficial to the environment.
DFDS is yet to confirm its inter-island services, but Mr Matthieu said it would “soon” be possible to book on his company’s Wednesday crossings once approval had been granted by Ports of Jersey, with the prospect of additional links at some stage in the future.
The JEP has sought confirmation over whether Brittany Ferries has ended any intention of further legal challenges. This newspaper has also asked DFDS for a response to its rival’s claims.
