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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY DEPUTY R.G.LE HÉRISSIER OF ST SAVIOUR
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 9th SEPTEMBER 2014
Question
Given that Condor intend to operate all their fast ferry services to the United Kingdom with one vessel, what back up arrangements, if any, will exist in case of breakdowns and other breaks in service?
Answer
Firstly, it is important to note that the new Austal 102 is a vastly improved vessel to the two aging 86 metre catamarans currently in service. In addition to superior sea keeping in heavier weather than the current vessels, the Austal 102 will be a more reliable ship. She can sail as fast on two engines as the existing 86s can sail on three engines. The 8000 series MTU engines and ZF gearboxes are well proven and the Benchijigua Express, which is very similar to the 102, has not missed a day's sailing for a technical reason in eight years.
Secondly, contained within the new Operating Agreement is a generic contingency plan. While circumstances of unplanned outage can be different from occasion to occasion, the generic plan would involve using a combination of the Southern Route High Speed craft to cover a Northern Route sailing during the day and greater usage of the Clipper vessel.
Condor Ferries are also intending further security measures during the start-up operation, including retaining one of the current 86 meter vessels as a contingency in the initial period. The final decision around this will be pursuant to the overall planning for the introduction of the new vessel, which is planned for March 2015.
Finally, the generic contingency plan in the Operating Agreement was negotiated prior to the outage experienced over the summer with the Clipper. Contained within the Operating Agreement is a Ferry Services Steering Group, comprising senior representatives from both Islands and Condor. This group will review the Clipper incident, and develop a broader contingency plan from the experience gained from this incident.