A FREIGHT vessel that has been a familiar sight in Channel Island waters for almost three decades is to resume service to Jersey after being acquired by DFDS.
Following weeks of speculation about the Danish operator acquiring the Commodore Goodwill after it was put up for sale by former owner Condor, DFDS has confirmed the purchase of the vessel – which will be renamed Caesarea Trader.
Condor listed the Goodwill for sale in February, two months after it was confirmed that Jersey had agreed and signed a contract for DFDS to take over freight and passenger services to the Island from 28 March. This followed the collapse of a joint tender process with Guernsey, with the northern bailiwick choosing Condor’s parent company Brittany Ferries.
DFDS said that following preparatory work in dry-docking, the vessel would replace the MV Arrow on routes connecting Jersey with Portsmouth and St Malo.
Jersey route director Chris Parker said DFDS was “dedicated to supporting Jersey’s connectivity and economic resilience through dependable freight services and continuous investment in its fleet”.
“We are delighted to be able to announce the acquisition of Goodwill which will provide additional capacity and better schedules for our freight customers,” he added.
“We are working hard to get Goodwill ready for service and in the meantime MV Arrow and her crew will continue to provide an excellent service for the Island.”
Mr Parker said the acquisition did not change the company’s plans for new vessels to serve the Island, including which will include a new RoRo vessel.”
Launched in 1996, the 126m freight vessel, which also has 12 passengers cabins, had been serving the Channel Islands ever since until Condor’s contract ended in March.
The listing on the website shipselector.com gave a price-tag of €14,000,000, and at the end of April several online forums, including the 12,700-member-strong Channel Islands’ Ferry Users Group and the DFDS Ferry Forum, which has 26,000 users, highlighted “unconfirmed reports” that a sale had been agreed.
Commodore Goodwill
New DFDS acquisition set to return to St Helier later this year
- The vessel is 126 meters long, has a cargo capacity of 1250 metres, equivalent to around 80 trailers, and has served the Channel Islands since 1996.
- Currently registered in the Bahamas, the Goodwill is set to be “reflagged” as a UK-registered vessel.
- The Goodwill will be renamed Caesarea Trader in homage to Jersey’s Latin name, Caesarea.
