The last week of March brought change to the Poole cross-channel ferry scene. After ten years’ service, Condor Ferries’ 102m Austal HSC Condor Liberation (2010/6,307gt) made its final commercial crossing to Guernsey and Jersey on 23 March.
On its return to the Dorset port that evening, the Liberation remained alongside for several days before moving to Le Havre for lay-up pending sale.
The 98m Incat Condor Voyager (2000/6,581gt) took over the new St Malo-Guernsey-Poole service for parent company Brittany Ferries on 28 March.
In more Brittany Ferries news, the ro-pax vessel Barfleur (1990/20,133gt) resumed its seasonal Cherbourg service on 24 March.
Meanwhile, their ro-ro freighter MN Pelican (1999/12,076gt), which has been chartered for a twice-weekly Poole-Bilbao operation since 2016, is expected to close the route at the end of the summer following the opening of the new Bayonne-Cherbourg inter-modal rail link.
Port owners Poole Harbour Commissioners are also undertaking cathodic treatment to the double-tier ro-ro berth 3 to increase its lifespan by twenty years.
Photo and report by Kevin Mitchell
