Condor Ferries News

Shipping and asset finance lawyer, Harry Theochari OBE, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Belfast Maritime Consortium.Theochari holds the position of Senior Consultant at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP. He is also current Chair Emeritus of Maritime UK, Chair of Maritime London, and esteemed member of the Institute of Maritime Law Advisory Board at the University of Southampton, and brings with him over thirty seven years’ experience in the maritime sector and…

A study commissioned by trade association Interferry has revealed startling statistics on the far-reaching extent of the global ferry industry’s value to the world economy.Research into the latest pre-Covid full-year figures found that, in 2019, ferries carried 4.27 billion passengers – on a par with aviation – and 373 million vehicles across a worldwide fleet of 15,400 vessels. Among other findings, the industry provided 1.1 million jobs, contributed $60 billion to the world…

French ferry operator Brittany Ferries said that the takeover of of Condor Ferries  has been completed. The deal, announced last year, had been subject to scrutiny by competition authorities, but work on the transition has been completed."Brittany Ferries is today the proud part-owner of Condor Ferries," it said in a press note.“This is excellent news for Brittany Ferries, our new partners and for Condor Ferries,” said Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries. “We are committed to working closely in the months and years to come to ensure the best level of service to customers and support to our friends and colleagues in the Channel Islands. This will be business as usual for Condor, but within a new ownership structure.”Brittany Ferries is the minority shareholder in the company.

Condor Ferries, an operator of passenger and freight ferry services between UK and France, has been sold to a consortium including the French shipping company Brittany Ferries.Brittany Ferries, in consortium with the Columbia Threadneedle European Sustainable Infrastructure Fund (ESIF), has reached an agreement to acquire 100 percent of Condor Ferries from Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets (MIRA).Contracts have been signed and the deal is expected to be executed following scrutiny by relevant regulatory authorities. Brittany Ferries will hold a minority stake.Condor Ferries is an operator of lifeline freight and passenger ferry services.

UK ship repairer and marine engineering services provider SMS has completed three refits this month. This has included the refit of the maintenance vessel ‘London Titan’ which returned to the port of Lowestoft for the second time.Southampton-based SMS, has an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the commercial marine, defense and Superyachts sectors.It has completed the three major refits across its national and international network.Chris Norman, the Managing Director of SMS, said: “This marks a major milestone for the business as we’ve completed the last of three major ‘live’ refits that have been going on across the recently expanded ship repair group.“In recent months our business has gone from strength-to-strength.

SMS, a ship repair and marine engineering service company based in Southampton, has completed its first major high speed craft (HSC) refit in France. Last week, SMS docked the HSC Condor Rapide on the Port Normands Associe’s (PNA) ship lift at the Port of Cherbourg in France.The Rolls-Royce syncrolift is 90m x 32m and offers a 3000T lift capacity. Located just 75 miles from Southampton on the UK's south coast, it is a more effective solution for Solent centric operators than the ship repair yards in the North East and South West of England.Chris Norman…

Britain’s largest independent ship repairer and marine engineering services provider Burgess Marine said it has recently completed its winter refit season in Cherbourg, completing three ferry refit projects over the three-month time span. Despite Brexit, Burgess Marine said business has boomed as the company has completed two refits for Wightlink and one for Condor Ferries at its 5,000T syncrolift facility in the French port. He added, “We have the technical management, knowledge…

The number of cars taken by ferry has increased from 8.6 million in 2015 to nearly 8.8 million in 2016, a 1.7% increase. This is the fourth successive year of growth according to the annual results of the ferry industry. 2016 Ferrystat figures released today by Discover Ferries, the industry body for ferry operators, reports that growth for car travel by sea is up by 473,000 in the past four years; up from just 8.3 million car crossings by sea in 2012. Discover Ferries member ferry operators include Brittany Ferries, Caledonian MacBrayne, Condor Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, Northlink, P&O Ferries, Red Funnel, StenaLine and Wightlink.

Britain’s largest independent ship repairer and marine engineering services provider Burgess Marine has improved its service offering by obtaining third party accreditation to CE Mark structural steel and aluminium fabrications, and by signing a framework agreement with design firm Houlder. CE Marking has become mandatory for all construction products where the product is covered by a harmonised European standard (hEN). BS EN 1090 is one such harmonised standard which covers structural steel and aluminium fabrication. Since July 2014, products within the scope of this standard must be CE Marked. Companies producing structural steel or aluminium fabrications which are being sold in the UK or the wider European Economic Area are legally required to CE Mark the product.

DuPont Sustainable Solutions, through its subsidiary BELCO, has been awarded a contract to supply DuPont Marine Scrubber systems to two vessels owned by Condor Ferries, a Guernsey-based company that operates year-round freight, car and passenger ferries between the Channel Islands, United Kingdom and France. DuPont will provide four, single-stream, open-loop, gas-cleaning units for Commodore Clipper and Commodore Goodwill. Exhaust gas-cleaning systems will allow the ferries to meet all IMO Annex VI sulphur requirements while continuing to operate on heavy fuel oil, DuPont said.

Condor Ferries have made their final sailing from Weymouth. Cross-channel ferry services from Weymouth have come to an end with the final sailing to Guernsey. Condor is to operate a new and larger ferry on a single service from Poole instead as Weymouth's port is deemed too small. Poole's bigger facilities can accommodate their new vessel - the Condor Liberation. Condor Liberation marks a £50 million investment and, according to the ferry company, a 'new era in sea travel'. She'll make her maiden voyage this Friday. The ferry, which features the brand's new colours - dark blue, pink and gold - has Duty Free shop, children's play area, plus a range of eating and drinking outlets.

Condor Ferries has confirmed it is selling two ferries - Condor Vitesse and Condor Express - to make way for the new super ferry. The vessels, built in Tasmania in 1997 and 1998, have been sold to Greek firm Seajets for an undisclosed sum. The two ferries currently operate between Guernsey, Jersey and the U.K. They will be replaced on the service by a GBP50mln Austal-class vessel, which was bought earlier this year, and has yet to be given a name. Due to the size of the vessel, known as Condor 102, the company will no longer sail to Weymouth and will only go to Poole. The company said that Vitesse is no longer required on the U.K. to Channel Island routes and will be delivered to a new owner at the end of February.

Condor Ferries says it has completed purchase of the Austal 102, a state-of -the-art high speed ferry which will operate between the Channel Islands and the UK. The latest addition to the Condor fleet will come into service in spring 2015 and will secure the future of high speed ferry services for the Islands. CEO James Fulford commented “I am delighted to announce that we are now proud owners of the Austal 102. This represents £50m of investment in our Islands and it will enable us to improve reliability, increase capacity, and give our guests a much greater level of comfort. Condor has also confirmed that it has agreed with Poole Harbour Commissioners that the 102 will be based in Poole from spring 2015.

Two Ro-Ro ferries owned by U.K.-based Condor Ferries are to be retrofitted with Wärtsilä's new AQUARIUS READY ballast water management system (BWMS) solution. The AQUARIUS READY concept has been developed by Wärtsilä to prepare vessels for the fitting of BWMS, while minimizing vessel downtime, thereby enabling more efficient operations. The contract was signed in February 2014 and the final equipment delivery will take place within 12 months from the ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Convention. Preparation work has already been undertaken onboard the ferries.

Two Ro-Ro ferries owned by UK based Condor Ferries are to be retrofitted with Wärtsilä's new AQUARIUS READY ballast water management system (BWMS) solution. The AQUARIUS READY concept has been developed by Wärtsilä to prepare vessels for the fitting of BWMS, while minimising vessel downtime, thereby enabling more efficient operations. The actual equipment installation and commissioning will take place at a time convenient to the owners following ratification of the IMO Convention. Preparation work has already been undertaken onboard the ferries.

Annual 2013 figures show more passengers, cars and coaches carried by the UK ferry industry, compared with 2012, according to figures released by industry body, ‘Discover Ferries’. Britain’s ferry industry showed growth across all its travel sectors last year, with passenger numbers up 2.6% overall to 38 million, all cars carried up 1.1% to 8.37million, and coaches up overall  4.1% to 158,470 -  according to 2013 “Ferrystat” figures, quoted by industry body, ‘Discover Ferries’.

A&P Falmouth is soon to drydock the 'Condor Express', one of the aluminium fast cats operated by Condor Ferries. Falmouth regularly drydocks the conventional Condor ferries, Condor Clipper and Condor Goodwill, but will now also see the aluminium catamaran Condor Express arrive for drydocking during November. Work will include hull painting, exhaust repairs, stern door repairs, aluminium hull repairs, removal of main engine crankshaft and the overhaul of T Foil flaps, trim tab flaps and separator buckets.  This is one of three aluminium high-speed catamaran ferries owned by Condor Ferries.

Inchcape Shipping Services has announced its new regional team for Europe and North Africa following the creation of its new operations division. Reflecting ISS’ transition from eight regional profit centers within two hemispheres to four world regions and Japan, the new operations division is charged with delivering operational excellence, providing the very best products and quality of service, standardising work processes and optimising resources and capabilities. The Europe and North Africa operations team is the first of the four regional teams to be announced. Simon Edsall has been appointed as Executive Vice President of Operations Region Europe and North Africa.

Commodore Goodwill sustained damage to its hull during high winds on December 10 and it is not known when it will be back in service. The ship usually delivers some food and goods to Guernsey. Condor Ferries has chartered the Triumph. The replacement ship will begin daily sailings to Guernsey from 1 February. Source: BBC

Condor Ferries aluminium fast catamaran Condor Vitesse has just departed A&P Southampton's drydock following the completion of the vessels annual refit. The 350 dwt ferry arrived at the drydock during early November for various drydocking operation works which included cleaning and blasting of the vessels hulls and the application of a new Intersleek paint system, suitable for aluminium hulls. Other work included the removal and replacement of the generators for overhaul, aluminium repairs to the vessel's hull and superstructure, completed in association with the Group's Aluminium Welding division located at A&P Shipcare - Dover. Following a period of 14 days in dock, the vessel sailed for Weymouth on scedule where it resumed normal service.

Condor Ferries has signed a partnership deal with Active Hotels as part of its new Condor Xtras service. Its Stopover Hotels booking service is now powered by Active Hotels, a Priceline Europe company. Condor Ferries selective Active Hotels for its hotel coverage in the company’s key destinations, namely Dorset, Hampshire, Brittany, Vendee and the West of France, Europe Travel News reported. The partnership will enable customers to book a stopover hotel at the same time as their ferry ticket. (Source: Europe Travel News)