New Portsmouth to Jersey DFDS ferry service could just be the start as minister alludes to expansion

Jersey’s Deputy Chief Minister Kirsten Morel said Portsmouth could become a priority for more services to the Channel Islands. This comes after a 20-year-contract was signed with DFDS to carry passengers and freight between the locations, with the first sailing from Portsmouth International Port taking place on March 28.

Mr Morel said describe the ferry service to Portsmouth and the mainland as a “major route” for tourism. He told The News: “I don’t think we’ve worked specifically with the port of Portsmouth to develop tourism yet, but we’d be really pleased to. There is a lot of destination marketing done throughout the UK by Visit Jersey, but that is route agnostic.”

The Portsmouth to Jersey route could see new vessels operating on it, with DFDS promising to build three new ship by the end of 2032. That commitment was part of the reason why the Danish company was awarded the contract over previous operator Condor Ferries, owned by Brittany Ferries. A war of words between both firms and the Jersey government has boiled over, with claims and counter-claims being branded as a “smear campaign”.

The minister said around 95,000 to 100,000 passengers travel by sea from the UK to Jersey every year, with roughly 800,000 tourists visiting annually. He added that the tourism industry allows for Jersey to be a more vibrant island and have many more bars, restaurants, hotels and other amenities than could normally serve a population of over 100,000.

Mr Morel said boosting relations in Portsmouth fits with the island’s economic goals. “I know the ports themselves have very good relationships with each other at an operational level. It would be a very good idea to get to know Portsmouth council better, get to know their aims and then we can work together to grow ferry and tourism services together.

“It’s what we’re doing with Saint Malo, which sits in Jersey’s imagination. We always seem to work closely with the port and the town to develop tourism links and ferry services. We should be doing a lot more with Portsmouth.”

Portsmouth International Port, owned by the local authority, and the tourism industry is considered a major part of boosting the city’s economy. Each cruise ship that visits the city generates roughly £1.5m in city spending and port fees.

Portsmouth City Council leader Steve Pitt said he would welcome any boosted links between the city and The Channel Islands. “Expanding tourism is a big priority for us,” he told The News. “It’s why we have the destination partnership in the city, with the major attractions all chipping in towards advertising campaigns in London Waterloo station and other locations.

“We’re always looking to grow tourist numbers because tourism and the cultural industries in the city support 12,000 jobs. It’s a vital part of our local economy, and something we work on all the time. We’re always looking for opportunities to grow economic relationships.”

He added: “We want all those cruise passengers who have a few hours to spend ashore to spend them in Portsmouth, we don’t want them leaving the city and doing other things.”