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Condor Ferries Commit Over £1 Million on Channel Islands Tourism Marketing

30th January 2016

#VisitJersey - Condor Ferries is to support Visit Jersey with over £1 million this year on marketing of the Channel Islands.

In giving the vote of thanks at a Chamber of Commerce lunch at which Catherine Leech, Director of Visit Jersey was present, Ken Soar, non-executive director of Condor Ferries confirmed the ferry company’s fincancial support to Visit Jersey. He also confirmed that Condor is committed to working closely with the island’s tourism organisation to bring more visitors to Jersey. 

In a keynote speech to the chamber, Ken Soar said: “Condor Ferries is an active and wholehearted supporter of the vital work that Visit Jersey does to promote our beautiful island to visitors.

“You don’t need me to tell you that, in many ways, 2015 was a difficult year for Condor Ferries. The introduction of Condor Liberation didn’t go as smoothly as we’d planned, and I know that some of you may have travelled on disrupted services. Of course we are sorry for those disruptions but we are striving to get better and better, despite the headline grabbing disruptions. Our Overall service reliability remains high and, even in the recent unprecedented storms, our freight ships battled through to keep our Islands supplied with freight services such as the food, wine and coffee that we have all enjoyed today.

“To our 400 Condor staff who have worked tirelessly this last year in the most testing of situations both operational and the weather - to deliver people, cars and freight to their destinations, I also offer my personal and the company's appreciation and thanks

“This year, as in previous years, Condor Ferries will spend more than a million pounds promoting Jersey as a great destination to potential visitors from the UK, France and beyond.

“With our shared commitment, investment and energy, we can all make sure that more people visit Jersey – and that is definitely something for which we should all give a vote of thanks!”

Published in Ferry
Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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Ferry & Car Ferry News The ferry industry on the Irish Sea, is just like any other sector of the shipping industry, in that it is made up of a myriad of ship operators, owners, managers, charterers all contributing to providing a network of routes carried out by a variety of ships designed for different albeit similar purposes.

All this ferry activity involves conventional ferry tonnage, 'ro-pax', where the vessel's primary design is to carry more freight capacity rather than passengers. This is in some cases though, is in complete variance to the fast ferry craft where they carry many more passengers and charging a premium.

In reporting the ferry scene, we examine the constantly changing trends of this sector, as rival ferry operators are competing in an intensive environment, battling out for market share following the fallout of the economic crisis. All this has consequences some immediately felt, while at times, the effects can be drawn out over time, leading to the expense of others, through reduced competition or takeover or even face complete removal from the marketplace, as witnessed in recent years.

Arising from these challenging times, there are of course winners and losers, as exemplified in the trend to run high-speed ferry craft only during the peak-season summer months and on shorter distance routes. In addition, where fastcraft had once dominated the ferry scene, during the heady days from the mid-90's onwards, they have been replaced by recent newcomers in the form of the 'fast ferry' and with increased levels of luxury, yet seeming to form as a cost-effective alternative.

Irish Sea Ferry Routes

Irrespective of the type of vessel deployed on Irish Sea routes (between 2-9 hours), it is the ferry companies that keep the wheels of industry moving as freight vehicles literally (roll-on and roll-off) ships coupled with motoring tourists and the humble 'foot' passenger transported 363 days a year.

As such the exclusive freight-only operators provide important trading routes between Ireland and the UK, where the freight haulage customer is 'king' to generating year-round revenue to the ferry operator. However, custom built tonnage entering service in recent years has exceeded the level of capacity of the Irish Sea in certain quarters of the freight market.

A prime example of the necessity for trade in which we consumers often expect daily, though arguably question how it reached our shores, is the delivery of just in time perishable products to fill our supermarket shelves.

A visual manifestation of this is the arrival every morning and evening into our main ports, where a combination of ferries, ro-pax vessels and fast-craft all descend at the same time. In essence this a marine version to our road-based rush hour traffic going in and out along the commuter belts.

Across the Celtic Sea, the ferry scene coverage is also about those overnight direct ferry routes from Ireland connecting the north-western French ports in Brittany and Normandy.

Due to the seasonality of these routes to Europe, the ferry scene may be in the majority running between February to November, however by no means does this lessen operator competition.

Noting there have been plans over the years to run a direct Irish –Iberian ferry service, which would open up existing and develop new freight markets. Should a direct service open, it would bring new opportunities also for holidaymakers, where Spain is the most visited country in the EU visited by Irish holidaymakers ... heading for the sun!