Displaying items by tag: ferry off service

1st November 2023

Channel Islands Ferry Has Technical Fault After Entering Service Sees Ship Go to Irish Sea for Dry-Docking

UK-Channel Islands operator, Condor Ferries' newly introduced ropax, Condor Islander, is out of service due to technical problems that took place just three days after its first passenger sailing.

The stern vehicle loading only ferry which was acquired from a New Zealand operator, arrived to St. Peter Port, Guernsey from the UK on Sunday 22 October, the day of its maiden passenger sailing.

The Dutch built ropax was unable to continue on to St. Helier, Jersey but returned to Portsmouth instead.

ITV News understood there is an issue with the ferry's bow thrusters (see symbol on bow of above photo) that led to sailings between Thursday 26 October and tomorrow’s, Thursday 2 November being cancelled.

Afloat.ie today (1 November) can confirm Condor Islander is off service, as the ropax vessel departed last Thursday bound for the Irish Sea where the ferry arrived two days later and is currently in dry-dock at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead.

The 125m long 400 passenger ferry with more than 1,200 freight lane metres, was in April acquired from New Zealand operator StraitNZ with the help of a £26 million loan from the States of Guernsey.

When approached by ITV News, a spokesperson for Condor Ferries declined to comment on the disruption which continues as Afloat adds with this week’s Storm Ciarán.

According to the operators’ facebook sailing update, it has been necessary to cancel conventional and fast-craft crossings today.

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