1 year old Condor Ferry Halted due to safety concerns.... a bit weird?
- Thread starter Firefly625
- Start date
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
It's not been a good boat for Condor. Only this week they have been pulled up by Jersey States for not meeting their contract. This could be the kiss of death for it.
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
if you spend £50m on a ferry, and within 12months its faults are so vital to the safety /operation of the ship your operators licence may be in jeopardy I should imagine there are a few legal folk about to be rather busy..
JT57
Active Member
The headline is a tad misleading.
The vessel is a few years old. Condor bought it secondhand 12 months ago.
The vessel is a few years old. Condor bought it secondhand 12 months ago.
Piers
Well-Known Member
The whole affair with the Liberation has been anything but a good ride for Condor let alone the passengers. Locally, the latest name for the Liberation is Liability. There's much history with this vessel and having riden on her, it's a really uncomfy ride.
Many islanders are now using 'good old faithful', the Commodore Clipper slow ferry. She goes in all weathers and the great thing is she's dependable. One day the full story of the Liability will come out....
Many islanders are now using 'good old faithful', the Commodore Clipper slow ferry. She goes in all weathers and the great thing is she's dependable. One day the full story of the Liability will come out....
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
changed hands pretty quick to start with then, most commercial boats like this will be in service for many years with the same company/operator, I wonder why they sold it....??!
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
It has been suggested that it was an internal deal, if you follow it up the line, they built it and sold it to themselves twice having had it sat in dry dock for 5 years in between.
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
I travelled on it 3 times last year - I was on it on day 2 when it collided with the dock in Guernsey, what a fiasco that was, 5 hour journey turned into 16 hours with 3 dogs in the car. If I can't fly and have to use the ferry, I only ever book the Clipper now but that hasn't been without it's problems lately...
superheat6k
Well-Known Member
Rode it twice last year on my boat buying trips to and from Jersey.
We loved the ride from the forward and somewhat snobby Ocean Cabin, and a great forward view.
We found Condor very accommodating with the boaty luggage we had to take including fire extinguishers, life jackets and a small dog.
We loved the ride from the forward and somewhat snobby Ocean Cabin, and a great forward view.
We found Condor very accommodating with the boaty luggage we had to take including fire extinguishers, life jackets and a small dog.
wellf100
Well-Known Member
the story goes that Austal built the boat without any end buyer to keep their staff busy during the recession. They couldn't sell it and it languished in their yard for 5 years. Austal is owned by Macquarie Group of Australia as is Condor. Condor needed to replace the 2 old cats doing the channel islands route so they took on the Liberation which is a stabalised monohull. The boat was supposed to herald a much smoother ride and less cancellations due to a higher wave height limit.....
In reality everything that can go wrong has. Collisions with docks, loading and unloading problems and ride saftey issues meaning that it doesn't go in anything above 3.5m wave height and above all continual reliability problems. I believe it has MAN diesels driving water jets (3 i think) but their has been endless technical problems with turbos, steering units and god knows what else. I was on it a few weeks ago when firstly is slowed to 20 or so knots mid channel (from the normal operating speed of 35 knots) becuase of an issue with an engine. We got to St Peter Port an hour late and stopped outside the harbour entrance...apparently the steering had failed as well and we couldn't dock with only one running engine and no steering!!. Eventually after a conference call with MAN in Germany they fashioned a fix by moving the steering unit from one of the non functioning engines to the working engine. ......it only came out of being dry dock for 6 weeks a few weeks ago. Of course replacing 2 boats with 1 means there's not much in the way of cover which has compounded the issues.
The whole thing is a real disaster and no doubt having a huge impact on tourism in the channel islands. Of course it's a monopoly situation with Condor being the only operator and with the States of both islands signing a new 10 year contract with Condor with the most vague and uninforceable SLA's at the time of Condor taking on the new boat so there's little that can be done. The news of it being detained by the MCA yesterday is another sorry twist but nothing suprises anyone here now!!
Oh and guess what....the guy who approved the 10 year contract for the States of Guernsey is now CEO of Condor!!
In reality everything that can go wrong has. Collisions with docks, loading and unloading problems and ride saftey issues meaning that it doesn't go in anything above 3.5m wave height and above all continual reliability problems. I believe it has MAN diesels driving water jets (3 i think) but their has been endless technical problems with turbos, steering units and god knows what else. I was on it a few weeks ago when firstly is slowed to 20 or so knots mid channel (from the normal operating speed of 35 knots) becuase of an issue with an engine. We got to St Peter Port an hour late and stopped outside the harbour entrance...apparently the steering had failed as well and we couldn't dock with only one running engine and no steering!!. Eventually after a conference call with MAN in Germany they fashioned a fix by moving the steering unit from one of the non functioning engines to the working engine. ......it only came out of being dry dock for 6 weeks a few weeks ago. Of course replacing 2 boats with 1 means there's not much in the way of cover which has compounded the issues.
The whole thing is a real disaster and no doubt having a huge impact on tourism in the channel islands. Of course it's a monopoly situation with Condor being the only operator and with the States of both islands signing a new 10 year contract with Condor with the most vague and uninforceable SLA's at the time of Condor taking on the new boat so there's little that can be done. The news of it being detained by the MCA yesterday is another sorry twist but nothing suprises anyone here now!!
Oh and guess what....the guy who approved the 10 year contract for the States of Guernsey is now CEO of Condor!!
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
Very interesting, does sound a sorry tail of the old boys network...
l'escargot
Well-Known Member
Some fairly significant failings, particularly the firefighting ones: http://www.itv.com/news/channel/topic/jersey/
Condor's spin has been that they were inspected whilst carrying out routine maintenance on the items that failed. I would consider inadequate training and firefighting equipment/procedures on a commercial passenger ferry as bordering on criminal...
Condor's spin has been that they were inspected whilst carrying out routine maintenance on the items that failed. I would consider inadequate training and firefighting equipment/procedures on a commercial passenger ferry as bordering on criminal...
longjohnsilver
Well-Known Member
Heard a radio interview of CEO and he almost laughed off the issues as "bedding in problems" all quite normal in his book!!
Dill et Bound
Well-Known Member
Back in service tomorrow.. Saturday..
Including a run down to St Malo..
Fully certified according to the website..
Lets not hold our breath..
I am up in Conwy for the Beer and Natter next month..
Did I book the Liberation..
No..
Its the Clipper and a cabin for me..
I will take my chances on the return..
Last trip they brought the sailing forward 2 hrs 1130 to 0930 letting me know night before.
Lucky I was only in Bristol..
Including a run down to St Malo..
Fully certified according to the website..
Lets not hold our breath..
I am up in Conwy for the Beer and Natter next month..
Did I book the Liberation..
No..
Its the Clipper and a cabin for me..
I will take my chances on the return..
Last trip they brought the sailing forward 2 hrs 1130 to 0930 letting me know night before.
Lucky I was only in Bristol..
Piers
Well-Known Member
Anyone forming a book on the date the Liability will be taken out of service again? Cynical? Yes, but so many people on the islands are fed up with cancellations and lame (PR?) excuses being given. And now with only 1 fast ferry rather than 2, being stranded with no back up is a common situation.
Last comment. I can attest that riding in the very front of the Liability, in the more expensive seating area, is OK. But the moment there's a swell and you start to go aft, the ride can become almost violent as the ship yaws considerably. Access to Duty Free becomes forbidden and bottles crash around. Crazy? Almost humorous, but frightening for some.
Dill et Bound
Well-Known Member
Apparently Piers.
There is a plan B.
You may be able to continue your duty free shopping.
http://www.itv.com/news/channel/2016-03-19/blog-condors-plan-b-revealed/
There is a plan B.
You may be able to continue your duty free shopping.
http://www.itv.com/news/channel/2016-03-19/blog-condors-plan-b-revealed/
Piers
Well-Known Member
So let's think about this. After the 5 weeks plan B has been in operation, the Liability is left on her own. We're left holding our breath. It all looks to be going OK, then...Liability breaks down again. 'Bring back the Normandie Express' is the cry.
I must say I wouldn't like to be in Condor's shoes. Having made the decision to buy one boat to replace two thereby in a single stroke reducing backup to zero on a route on a route so dependent on regular service, well, isn't that just asking for trouble?
I must say I wouldn't like to be in Condor's shoes. Having made the decision to buy one boat to replace two thereby in a single stroke reducing backup to zero on a route on a route so dependent on regular service, well, isn't that just asking for trouble?
Dill et Bound
Well-Known Member
A protest meeting is about to take place according to my source of information.
But you are right Piers.
Future looks to be uncertain to say the least.
I checked up on AIS. The Rapide is still in dry dock in Falmouth.
So they will need to act quickly to sort the situation.
But you are right Piers.
Future looks to be uncertain to say the least.
I checked up on AIS. The Rapide is still in dry dock in Falmouth.
So they will need to act quickly to sort the situation.
Piers
Well-Known Member
...and it seems that Liability is NE of St Malo heading 110 - for Granville? Nav kit playing up?
wellf100
Well-Known Member
Yes protest going on in Guernsey at the moment.
It's still unclear to me whether the chartering of the Normandie will be a back up in case of Liberation problems or if it will actually run some routes over Easter. The former I would imagine as I would think that otherwise most travellers would book on the Normandie rather than Lib given the chance!!
So many people are now flying and hiring cars if at all possible. Especially as Condor have even had the balls to raise prices during this fiasco!
It's still unclear to me whether the chartering of the Normandie will be a back up in case of Liberation problems or if it will actually run some routes over Easter. The former I would imagine as I would think that otherwise most travellers would book on the Normandie rather than Lib given the chance!!
So many people are now flying and hiring cars if at all possible. Especially as Condor have even had the balls to raise prices during this fiasco!