Condor adds another boat to fleet for freight and passenger journeys

Condor has bought a second roll on, roll off ferry which will carry both freight and passengers.

The MV Straitsman is a 125m long vessel - similar in design to the Commodore Clipper - with a capacity to hold 400 passengers.

It will service routes between Guernsey, Jersey, the UK and France, including an overnight trip between the UK and Channel Islands.

The company says it should be in use by the autumn.

The purchase, according to Condor's CEO, John Napton, shows its commitment to the Channel Islands.

"Condor has always maintained that its primary focus is to support the three strands of the islands’ economies – lifeline freight, connectivity for islanders and inbound tourism."

The hunt for a new vessel took a year, with the company saying Covid mixed with a shortage of suitable ferries made the search more challenging.

The MV Straitsman was built in 2005 in the Netherlands but currently operates in New Zealand.

Upon its arrival in the Channel Islands, it will be renamed and undergo birthing trials in Guernsey and Jersey.

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