Brittany Ferries is to become the majority owner of Condor Ferries following recent changes in the ownership structure.
Condor Ferries is the passenger and freight ferry operator between the UK (Poole, Portsmouth), the Channel Islands and St Malo in France.
Condor was originally acquired in November 2019 by a consortium comprising Brittany Ferries and the London-based Columbia Threadneedle European Sustainable Infrastructure Fund.
Subject to approval by the regulatory authorities in Jersey and Guernsey, the French ferry operator will assume majority ownership and operational control of the Channel Islands-based company in the next few weeks.
Christophe Mathieu, CEO of Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries, said:
‘We are pleased to confirm our intention to become the majority owner of Condor Ferries, pending approval from the Islands’ regulatory authorities, over the next few weeks.’
‘Brittany Ferries has the experience, expertise and scale, along with extensive knowledge of the transport sector and customer service to implement best practices, which ultimately will result in a better service for Condor’s passengers.’
‘This change demonstrates our commitment to the Islands, shows Brittany Ferries is adding strength and depth to the existing team and delivers continuity and resilience in the long term.’
In January, the Government of Jersey and States of Guernsey confirmed a procurement process for a new long-term operating agreement. Brittany Ferries is actively leading this bid and believes it and Condor are the right operators, with the right vessels and experience, to serve the Islands for many years to come.
Mr Mathieu added: ‘We believe we operate exactly the right fleet for the Islands: a mix of conventional freight and passenger ferries for lifeline freight and travel for Islanders, alongside the high speed vessels that are essential for supporting the visitor economies of Jersey and Guernsey.’
Once approved, Brittany Ferries will own 51% of Condor Ferries, with Columbia Threadneedle retaining a minority shareholding.
Justin Amey, Head of Sales and Marketing at Condor Ferries, added: ‘Condor Ferries has an unshakeable mission to provide the highest-quality service to our passengers, and we are constantly adapting and evolving to ensure that we do so, a mission shared wholeheartedly by Brittany Ferries.’
‘From the introduction of the Condor Islander in 2023 to new, pet-friendly cabins on Commodore Clipper in 2024, Condor Ferries puts customer need at the centre of its operations. With rise in demand for domestic and flight-free travel, we want to assure our customers that the new ownership structure will not impact our service, and we look forward to working with new stakeholders and partners to continue in our mission of providing exceptional travel to our customers in 2024 and beyond.’
Notes
Brittany Ferries was conceived in 1972, starting life as a freight-only ferry-service on 02 January the following year.
The first vessel (Kerisnel) linked Roscoff in Brittany with Plymouth in the south west of England and carried a cargo of cauliflowers and cognac. Since then the company has progressively launched, then strengthened its shipping routes.
In more than 50 years of service, millions of passengers and businesses have travelled by sea across the so-called Atlantic Arc (France, UK, Spain and Ireland). They rely on the links forged by more than five decades of experience.
In addition to cutting congestion and emissions on busy roads, Brittany Ferries’ motorways-of the sea have helped enrich local communities, creating jobs, nurturing international tourism and boosting cross-border trade.
Photo
Barfleur waiting outside St Peter Port harbour after arriving from Cherbourg , before Berthing Trial’s alongside number 2 berth. (tONY rIVE)
