DFDS Seaways promises 'safe, reliable' service as it bids for Jersey's ferry tender
DFDS Seaways has confirmed its interest in Jersey's new tender process for the island's next ferry service.
On Wednesday 13 November, the Jersey government announced a new ferry tender process to decide who would operate Jersey's passenger and freight services following Guernsey choosing Brittany Ferries as its preferred bidder.
Brittany Ferries has also bid to become Jersey's ferry provider in this new process.
DFDS says that despite the shorter timeline, it will bid to take over ferry services for Jersey on 25 March 2025, when Condor Ferries' current operating contract ends.
DFDS has also prepared contingency operations as part of their Jersey and Guernsey bids should Condor be unable to deliver services before March 2025, stating: "DFDS is able to take over Jersey ferry operations immediately if required."
VP BU Channel & Baltics Filip Hermann says that DFDS is "fully prepared and capable of taking over the ferry service" but highlighted they haven't been given a reason why they were disqualified with the original bid.
In an update from the States of Guernsey today (Wednesday 20 November), it was revealed that DFDS wanted the right to change schedules, reduce the minimum service requirements, and raise fares - a condition which was deemed unworkable by government advisors.
Filip Hermann explains: "We understand the importance of a safe, reliable and efficient ferry service for islanders and businesses in Jersey, and we are confident in our ability to deliver this service.
"As outlined in our initial proposal, for which we are yet to receive clarifications regarding the reasons for our disqualification, we will utilize vessels from our fleet and leverage our extensive experience from other routes in our network.
DFDS Executive Vice President and Head of Ferry Division Mathieu Girardin, has also outlined guarantees that DFDS can take over the service.
He explains: "DFDS is a listed company, in solid financial health, and operates more than 70 ferries including RoRo, RoPax and high-speed crafts, giving us the right scale and investment capacity to provide Jersey with appropriate fleet for its ferry services in the coming 15 years."
Brittany Ferries chairman Jean-Marc Roué confirmed in a letter to Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham that the company will bid for the Jersey-only ferry service.
However, Brittany Ferries also stated that Monsieur Roué "expressed surprise and concern" that their original bid had not been accepted.
The CEO explains: "The Breton farming community have been Brittany Ferries’ majority shareholders since the company’s birth in 1972. Their aim at the outset was the same as it is today: to enrich the regions in which it operates, to connect people and to facilitate trade.
"It is this mindset that will be brought to Guernsey over the next 15 years - and is the promise for businesses and the public in Jersey.
"Never in our 52-year history have we abandoned a ferry line or a service to a region for lack of profitability.
"We are a highly-respected company and we entered this competition in good faith to continue our service to islanders."
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