A New Era for Jersey's Sea Links

At the heart of the deal is DFDS's commitment to upgrading Jersey's vital maritime infrastructure. The operator will roll out three purpose-built vessels tailored to the island's needs:

• Fast Craft: An 85-100m vessel accommodating 900-1,100 passengers and 200-300 cars, plus lorries and buses for efficient peak-season runs. Slated for delivery by late 2028, it aims to slash crossing times without winter mandates.
• RoRo Freighter: A 110-140m vessel with 1,200-1,800 lane metres dedicated to cargo. Expected by end-2030.
• RoPax Hybrid: A 130-140m vessel that will carry 800-1,000 passengers alongside 1,300-1,500 lane metres of vehicles, arriving by late 2031.

These ships will service core routes from Jersey's Elizabeth Harbour—exclusive to DFDS—to Portsmouth (UK), Poole, and St. Malo (France), with guaranteed frequencies and a dedicated morning freight slot using interim vessels like the CAESAREA TRADER. Notably absent are inter-island links to Guernsey or year-round fast ferries, reflecting a focus on core reliability over expansive ambitions. DFDS will also fund marketing drives and staffing tweaks to boost ridership.

Safeguarding Affordability and Accountability

Financial safeguards form the agreement's backbone, prioritizing islanders amid rising living costs. Passenger fares face strict caps, with annual hikes tethered to a hybrid of Jersey's Retail Price Index (RPI) and the UK's Consumer Price Index (CPI). Deviations above inflation require GoJ approval and public consultation, triggered only if revenues crater and jeopardize investments—ensuring penalties for service lapses don't trickle down to tickets.

Freight gets a fairness overhaul too: A flat-rate pricing model levels the field for businesses, scrapping individualized deals and reversing proposed trailer surcharges of GBP 135.38 that could have cost millions yearly. Competition shifts to forwarders, not the operator, while DFDS pays GoJ a performance-tied exclusivity fee, laced with incentives for on-time delivery.

GoJ can levy penalties for disruptions, demand remediation plans, and—even as a nuclear option—terminate under Clause 33 after 1-2 years of chronic failures, vessel investment refusals, or ignored fixes. All backed by judicial-proof evidence, with contingency planning to prevent service blackouts. Safety, environmental compliance, and anti-discrimination laws (per Jersey's 2013 statute) are non-negotiable.

The full document can be read here Concession Agreement Between GoJ and DFDS Redacted.pdf

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