British Channel Island Ferries
Encyclopedia
British Channel Island Ferries (BCIF) was a ferry
operator who ran services between the United Kingdom
and the Channel Islands
.
, Huelin Renouf and Mainland Market Deliveries (MMD) to compete with Sealink
British Ferries services to Portsmouth
and Weymouth. Channel Island Ferries established their service from Portsmouth to the Channel Islands late in March 1985 using the ferry Corbière, previously the Benodet of Brittany Ferries. Sealink British Ferries had made a number of unpopular changes to its services and fare structure for the 1985 season which resulted in Channel Island Ferries gaining 85% of the passenger market from Portsmouth, this later dropped to 55% in 1986 after Sealink reorganised their fares and sailings to combat Channel Island Ferries following massive loses. The company had made such an impact on the Channel Island market that Sealink entered into talks to merge the two companies operations to save money and reduce over-capacity. The joint venture was announced on 30 September 1986. The plans was for the new company to be known as British Channel Island Ferries and operate the Corbiere and Sealink's Earl Granville from Portsmouth and maintain a summer only service from Weymouth using another Sealink vessel. The announcement resulted in almost immediate strike action by the crews of the four Sealink vessels which included the blockade of Guernsey’s only linkspan by the Earl William forcing Channel Island Ferries to suspend service to the island for five days, the service resumed after Earl William sailed to Weymouth to join the other Sealink ships on strike. Sealink were unable to reach an agreement with their crew to join the new service which meant Sealink were not able to fulfil its agreement to provide the Earl Granville and another ship for the new service. Channel Island Ferries later took out a series of high court injunctions against Sealink which allowed Channel Island Ferries to trade as British Channel Island Ferries and prevented Sealink for offering a service to the Islands for twelve months
passenger-only services from Weymouth.
service from Weymouth to the Channel Island for passengers and vehicles. This was to have a significant effect on BCIF who operated a reduced passenger service for that season and were involved in a price war
with Condor. Passenger numbers fell significantly and the charter of the Beauport was not renewed at the end of 1993. The company planned that the Havelet would be their main passenger ship for the 1994 season with the Truckline vessel Purbeck being brought as freight ship. In January 1994 it was announced that British Channel Island Ferries had been bought by Commodore Shipping, freight services were transferred to Commodore Ferries at Portsmouth and passenger operations moved to Condor at Weymouth where the Havelet would run a conventional service alongside the Condor 10
.
Throughout its years of operation the company also chartered a number of Brittany Ferries vessels for use during refit periods. These included the Armorique, Coutances
, Duchesse Anne and also the Reine Mathilde and Purbeck prior to them becoming part of the BCIF fleet in 1992 and 1994 respectively.
and demands from Islanders for a reliable winter service. Havelet was eventually replaced by the Commodore Clipper which returned conventional Channel Island services to Portsmouth in 1999. The Purbeck spent a short time with Commodore Ferries before being chartered out to a variety of companies including Brittany Ferries on a number of occasions. She remained under the ownership of Channel Island Ferries until she was sold to Interisland Line in 2003 and later a South American company in early 2007http://www.equasis.org.
Condor Ferries established a fast ferry service from Poole in 1997 and now maintain a summer service to the Islands and St Malo from the port.
Corbière House, the Poole headquarters of the company until its demise still retains a BCIF style sign to this day, one of the few reminders of the companies' time at the port.
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
operator who ran services between the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the 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...
.
Channel Island Ferries
The company was founded in late 1984 as Channel Island Ferries by a consortium made up of Brittany FerriesBrittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
, Huelin Renouf and Mainland Market Deliveries (MMD) to compete with Sealink
Sealink
Sealink was a ferry company based in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1984, operating services to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Channel Islands, Isle of Wight and Ireland....
British Ferries services to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and Weymouth. Channel Island Ferries established their service from Portsmouth to the Channel Islands late in March 1985 using the ferry Corbière, previously the Benodet of Brittany Ferries. Sealink British Ferries had made a number of unpopular changes to its services and fare structure for the 1985 season which resulted in Channel Island Ferries gaining 85% of the passenger market from Portsmouth, this later dropped to 55% in 1986 after Sealink reorganised their fares and sailings to combat Channel Island Ferries following massive loses. The company had made such an impact on the Channel Island market that Sealink entered into talks to merge the two companies operations to save money and reduce over-capacity. The joint venture was announced on 30 September 1986. The plans was for the new company to be known as British Channel Island Ferries and operate the Corbiere and Sealink's Earl Granville from Portsmouth and maintain a summer only service from Weymouth using another Sealink vessel. The announcement resulted in almost immediate strike action by the crews of the four Sealink vessels which included the blockade of Guernsey’s only linkspan by the Earl William forcing Channel Island Ferries to suspend service to the island for five days, the service resumed after Earl William sailed to Weymouth to join the other Sealink ships on strike. Sealink were unable to reach an agreement with their crew to join the new service which meant Sealink were not able to fulfil its agreement to provide the Earl Granville and another ship for the new service. Channel Island Ferries later took out a series of high court injunctions against Sealink which allowed Channel Island Ferries to trade as British Channel Island Ferries and prevented Sealink for offering a service to the Islands for twelve months
British Channel Island Ferries
With only one ship the company required two additional vessels to run a full service to the Channel Islands. They chartered the Brittany Ferries freight ferry Briezh-Izel to run alongside the Corbière from Portsmouth and the Portelet to run a new service from Weymouth which was to last until 1 October 1988. The service from Portsmouth was maintained until the end of 1988 when BCIF moved to Poole which allowed the company to reduce crossing times to the Islands by up to two hours. Corbière was replaced by the Rozel on the new service in February 1989. The Rozel was the largest ship ever used on the Channel Island service and became a popular addition to the fleet. The Briezh-Izel was initially replaced by the Corbière running freight only until the arrival of the Havelet, formerly the Cornouailles, from Brittany Ferries' Truckline service. The Corbière then left the fleet for further service with Brittany Ferries on their Truckline passenger service between Poole and Cherbourg. The move to Poole and the introduction of the Rozel was a successful one for the company but growth in the freight market from the port was slow, this led to the establishment of a rival service from Portsmouth by Commodore Shipping and MMD. BCIF was also facing growing competition from air travel and Condor FerriesCondor 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:...
passenger-only services from Weymouth.
Downfall
In late summer 1991 it was announced that the company had not renewed the charter of the Rozel and that she would be replaced by the Reine Mathilde from Brittany Ferries which was renamed Beauport. This ship was smaller and not as popular with passengers as the Rozel and was one of the contributing factors to the downfall of the company. In 1993 Condor Ferries introduced a high speed catamaranCatamaran
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...
service from Weymouth to the Channel Island for passengers and vehicles. This was to have a significant effect on BCIF who operated a reduced passenger service for that season and were involved in a price war
Price war
Price war is a term used in economic sector to indicate a state of intense competitive rivalry accompanied by a multi-lateral series of price reduction. One competitor will lower its price, then others will lower their prices to match. If one of them reduces their price again, a new round of...
with Condor. Passenger numbers fell significantly and the charter of the Beauport was not renewed at the end of 1993. The company planned that the Havelet would be their main passenger ship for the 1994 season with the Truckline vessel Purbeck being brought as freight ship. In January 1994 it was announced that British Channel Island Ferries had been bought by Commodore Shipping, freight services were transferred to Commodore Ferries at Portsmouth and passenger operations moved to Condor at Weymouth where the Havelet would run a conventional service alongside the Condor 10
HSC Condor 10
The HSC Condor 10 is a 74m fast catamaran ferry formerly operated by Condor Ferries but now operating in Pusan, South Korea.-History:Condor 10 was built in 1992 at the Incat Yards in Tasmania, Australia as Condor Ten but was renamed Condor 10 shortly after...
.
Fleet
- Corbiere 1985-1989
- Portelet 1987-1988
- Briezh-Izel 1987-1989
- Rozel 1989-1992
- Havelet 1989-1994
- Sylbe 1990-1993
- BeauportMV Reine MathildeReine Mathilde was a ferry operated by Brittany Ferries. She was built as the MS Prince of Fundy in 1970 by Schiffbau Gesellschaft Unterweser, AG, Bremerhaven, Germany for service between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.-History:...
1992-1993 - Purbeck 1994
Throughout its years of operation the company also chartered a number of Brittany Ferries vessels for use during refit periods. These included the Armorique, Coutances
MV Coutances
The M/V Rosa Eugenia, formerly the Coutances and Outances is a freight ferry owned by Conferry and previously operated by Brittany Ferries. It was built at Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre shipyard in France for Truckline Ferries and entered service in 1977...
, Duchesse Anne and also the Reine Mathilde and Purbeck prior to them becoming part of the BCIF fleet in 1992 and 1994 respectively.
Routes
- PortsmouthPortsmouthPortsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
- Channel Islands 1986-1988 - Weymouth - Channel Islands 1987-1988
- PoolePoolePoole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
- Channel Islands 1989-1994
Former BCIF routes today
British Channel Island Ferries passenger services were taken over by Condor Ferries in 1994. The Havelet operated a conventional passenger service with the company until late 1996 when she was laid up. She would later re-enter service with Condor after reliability problems with the Condor ExpressHSC Condor Express
The HSC Condor Express is a 86m fast catamaran ferry that runs between the UK and the Channel Islands. It is operated by Condor Ferries.-History:...
and demands from Islanders for a reliable winter service. Havelet was eventually replaced by the Commodore Clipper which returned conventional Channel Island services to Portsmouth in 1999. The Purbeck spent a short time with Commodore Ferries before being chartered out to a variety of companies including Brittany Ferries on a number of occasions. She remained under the ownership of Channel Island Ferries until she was sold to Interisland Line in 2003 and later a South American company in early 2007http://www.equasis.org.
Condor Ferries established a fast ferry service from Poole in 1997 and now maintain a summer service to the Islands and St Malo from the port.
Corbière House, the Poole headquarters of the company until its demise still retains a BCIF style sign to this day, one of the few reminders of the companies' time at the port.