HD Ferries
Encyclopedia
HD Ferries was a fast catamaran
Channel Islands
ferry service between Jersey
, Guernsey
and Brittany
. HD Ferries had daily departures (six crossings per day; average crossing time per leg of just one hour) from the port of Saint Helier
(Jersey) to St Peter Port
(Guernsey) and then to St Malo.
in November 2005. Earlier, Condor Ferries
and Emeraude Lines were the only two services operating in the region. The States of Jersey
, States of Guernsey
and Regional Council of Brittany
required an additional ferry service to meet the demand for passenger and freight travel between the Channel Islands and France. The Jersey authorities had been attempting to encourage other companies to start a rival service to Condor, to maintain a competitive environment.
The HD Ferries vessel named HD1 is an Incat K series which is a high speed catamaran with top speeds of 45 knots. The HD1 vessel can support 400 passengers, 100 cars or 70 cars and 10 freight vehicles.
In June 2007 HD Ferries announced that it planned to incorporate Alderney and Cherbourg into the route. Following a berthing trial in Alderney harbourmaster Steve Shaw gave HD Ferries the go ahead subject to certain conditions. The Alderney service has never been started.
HD Ferries made its first successful sailing to Cherbourg on 6 August 2007, marking the start of its new twice weekly service between Jersey/Guernsey and Cherbourg. The HD Ferries service continues to grow its presence within the Channel Islands with an increasing amount of local residents, holiday makers and freight drivers using the service on a daily basis. Since its inception, HD Ferries has been involved in two collision incidents with Condor Ferries whilst the competitors ships were alongside.
Due to lack of customers, the Cherbourg link has now been dropped in favour of a direct link with Guernsey to St Malo. The Cherbourg link may be started again for the 2009 season. The direct St Malo to Guernsey link was dropped mid-August 2008 after about 2 months operating.
HD Ferries has proposed plans to operate a service alongside Condor Ferries on the northern routes to the UK mainland but this has yet to be confirmed. This would mean the company would have to secure at least one additional vessel along with resuming their scheduled service in March 2008.
HD Ferries has since ceased all services from September 7th 2008, after giving customers who had booked tickets in future 4 days notice. The future of HD Ferries looks very uncertain now, but the company claim that they will return next year.
HD Ferries said on the 12th February 2009 that there are currently no sailings scheduled for 2009 - although they advise customers to check for updates regularly on the company's website.
HD Ferries officially announced that they will not return in 2009 on the 16th February, leaving a parting blast at the Jersey authorities claiming that if they want to see competition, they should do more than advocate it.
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
ferry service between Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
, Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
and Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. HD Ferries had daily departures (six crossings per day; average crossing time per leg of just one hour) from the port of Saint Helier
Saint Helier
Saint Helier is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. St. Helier has a population of about 28,000, roughly 31.2% of the total population of Jersey, and is the capital of the Island . The urban area of the parish of St...
(Jersey) to St Peter Port
St Peter Port
Saint Peter Port is the capital of Guernsey as well as the main port. The population in 2001 was 16,488. In Guernésiais and in French, historically the official language of Guernsey, the name of the town and its surrounding parish is St Pierre Port. The "port" distinguishes this parish from...
(Guernsey) and then to St Malo.
History
HD Ferries was established in January 2007 following the cessation of Emeraude LinesEmeraude Ferries
Emeraude Ferries was a shipping company which operated vehicle and passenger ferries between the french city of Saint-Malo and the Channel Islands. The company ceased trading in May 2006 following strong competition and difficulties in finding a suitable vessel for the 2006 season.-History:Emeraude...
in November 2005. Earlier, Condor Ferries
Condor Ferries
Condor Ferries is an operator of ferry services between mainland England and the Channel Islands, between England and France, and between France and the Channel Islands.-Recent history:...
and Emeraude Lines were the only two services operating in the region. The States of Jersey
States of Jersey
The States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
, States of Guernsey
States of Guernsey
The States of Guernsey is the parliament of the island of Guernsey. Some laws and ordinances approved by the States of Guernsey also apply to Alderney and Sark as "Bailiwick-wide legislation" with the consent of the governments of those islands...
and Regional Council of Brittany
Bretagne Regional Council
The Regional Council of Brittany is the regional legislature of the region of Brittany in France. It is composed of 83 councillors, elected in 2004, in office for six years until 2010.-Seats:By Departments...
required an additional ferry service to meet the demand for passenger and freight travel between the Channel Islands and France. The Jersey authorities had been attempting to encourage other companies to start a rival service to Condor, to maintain a competitive environment.
The HD Ferries vessel named HD1 is an Incat K series which is a high speed catamaran with top speeds of 45 knots. The HD1 vessel can support 400 passengers, 100 cars or 70 cars and 10 freight vehicles.
In June 2007 HD Ferries announced that it planned to incorporate Alderney and Cherbourg into the route. Following a berthing trial in Alderney harbourmaster Steve Shaw gave HD Ferries the go ahead subject to certain conditions. The Alderney service has never been started.
HD Ferries made its first successful sailing to Cherbourg on 6 August 2007, marking the start of its new twice weekly service between Jersey/Guernsey and Cherbourg. The HD Ferries service continues to grow its presence within the Channel Islands with an increasing amount of local residents, holiday makers and freight drivers using the service on a daily basis. Since its inception, HD Ferries has been involved in two collision incidents with Condor Ferries whilst the competitors ships were alongside.
Due to lack of customers, the Cherbourg link has now been dropped in favour of a direct link with Guernsey to St Malo. The Cherbourg link may be started again for the 2009 season. The direct St Malo to Guernsey link was dropped mid-August 2008 after about 2 months operating.
HD Ferries has proposed plans to operate a service alongside Condor Ferries on the northern routes to the UK mainland but this has yet to be confirmed. This would mean the company would have to secure at least one additional vessel along with resuming their scheduled service in March 2008.
HD Ferries has since ceased all services from September 7th 2008, after giving customers who had booked tickets in future 4 days notice. The future of HD Ferries looks very uncertain now, but the company claim that they will return next year.
HD Ferries said on the 12th February 2009 that there are currently no sailings scheduled for 2009 - although they advise customers to check for updates regularly on the company's website.
HD Ferries officially announced that they will not return in 2009 on the 16th February, leaving a parting blast at the Jersey authorities claiming that if they want to see competition, they should do more than advocate it.