Operator will add Brittany Ferries' high-speed vessel Normandie Express to its Chanel Islands route
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Condor Ferries is set to add Brittany Ferries’ high-speed catamaran Normandie Express to its fleet this summer to help it accommodate the rise in passenger numbers on the route between Poole, UK and the Channel Islands.
The vessel, which will be renamed Condor Voyager, is currently undergoing engineering checks and will soon complete sea trials. After final approval has been granted, the ferry will head to Poole to enable Condor to carry out mooring trials and familiarisation training for shipboard crew and port staff.
Services are expected to start this May and crossings will take around three hours with the 850-passenger ship sailing at a speed of 42 knots.
“With the extra interest in Jersey and Guernsey for travel destinations this summer, the ship will provide greater car and passenger capacity for those wanting to visit these beautiful islands,” said Elwyn Dop, operations director at Condor. “Interest in ferry travel is significantly up on previous years because of people’s desire to use their own car and benefit from the wide spaces onboard and enjoy fresh sea air on the outer deck. With the Islands being part of the Common Travel Area, people can take a stress-free holiday with no tests before leaving, and no quarantine or testing once they arrive back into the UK.”