Direct ferry services between Guernsey and Portsmouth are going to triangulate with Cherbourg from November as part of a restructuring announced early this week by Brittany Ferries in what it called ‘difficult market conditions’.
The Islander ferry will follow what the company called ‘a more efficient schedule’ from November 1st, with an outline plan to run from Portsmouth to Guernsey, Guernsey to Cherbourg, and Cherbourg to Portsmouth.
The company said that bringing the island into direct contact with the freight hub port would promise new trade partnerships and opportunities. Services between Poole and Guernsey on the Voyager will also have an option to travel on to St Malo from the winter.
‘Brittany Ferries has a track record in adapting its business to long- and short-term challenges,’ said Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries. “We overcame Covid when borders were shut, we continue to wrestle with the consequences of Brexit and we are taking steps to make a holiday in France or Spain as reasonable as possible,” declared Mathieu.
“But we have to be realistic. We need to adapt and that means a plan to secure a future that will continue to bring opportunities for all those who live and work in the regions we serve. We have informed our ports and will work with everyone affected on this plan for the future.’
Brittany Ferries also intend to sell two of its ferries by next year as well as terminate its Le Havre-Portsmouth route. The company said it had to ‘adapt to a new reality’, with a rising tax burden, repayments of Covid loans to the French government, cost-of-living concerns among passengers and increased contributions from the EU’s Emission Trading System, with a bill of 27m. euros for 2026. Potentially, the UK could also raise an equivalent tax.
