A good year for Condor Ferries despite fuel cost (From Business in Dorset)

A good year for Condor Ferries despite fuel cost

11:52am Thursday 26th January 2012 in News By Diana Henderson

TWO years ago it was a volcanic ash cloud that provided a boost for ferries, increasing passenger numbers when planes were grounded.

However last year Condor Ferries, which operates a service to the Channel Islands from Poole, managed a dramatic rise without an Icelandic volcano eruption in sight.

“We had a good year last year,” said Simon Edsall, managing director of Condor Ferries, speaking at Poole’s Condor House, “Our numbers are up.”

Passenger totals rose by three per cent and cars carried jumped by six per cent to Guernsey and nine per cent to Jersey.

“I’m not going to say there aren’t challenges out there,” he said. “There has been quite a lot of paddling under the surface of the water to try and make that happen.

“Fuel costs have increased. We have been able to offset that by carrying more people.”

Hard work by the team, improved services and facilities on the fast craft, traditional pricing and the unattractive Euro have all helped.

The company also runs passenger ferries between Weymouth, Jersey and Guernsey and northern France, as well as operating Brittany Ferries fast seasonal service from Poole to Cherbourg from May until the end of September.

Condor’s commitment to Poole has been underlined by an increase in the number of services it is providing from the port this year. The first wave-piercing fast craft service of the year leaves the port for the Channel Islands on March 30.