Channel Islands governments' respond over Condor administration rumours

Condor says it is confident it will "overcome a temporary but challenging time". Credit: ITV Channel

The Governments of Jersey and Guernsey have responded to questions about the future of Condor services in both islands.

In a joint statement, they say: “Condor has an operating agreement with Jersey, and a memorandum of understanding with Guernsey, to provide ferry services until 2025, and those agreements are still in effect.

"The Governments of Jersey and Guernsey welcome the reassurance which Condor gave by issuing a public statement on Friday. 

"Both Governments have numerous commercial agreements in place with a wide range of businesses, and neither government would comment publicly on any of those commercial matters.”

The ferry company recently had to announce increases to its freight charges by nearly 19% that will be introduced from next month.

This comes as figures show a number of loans it took out in August 2017 recently had to be refinanced, a period marked by a rapid spike in interest rates.

Companies House submissions reveal Condor was successful in securing the required refinancing from NatWest in September 2023.

However, as part of the deal, a new charge was created against the company which would allow the bank to seize assets should the company fail to keep up repayments.

In a statement released on Friday afternoon (15 December), the company's CEO, John Napton, said: "Condor has been working with its stakeholders to overcome a temporary but challenging time.

"We are confident that this is very near to being resolved and will have no impact on our services now or in the long term".

Condor Ferries' next company accounts are expected to be published in early 2024.

All of this comes as the governments in both Guernsey and Jersey commissioned the berthing trials of a DFDS ship, called the Finlandia Seaways, to help safeguard against a "number of possible risks".

It travelled to both islands on Saturday 16 December.

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