Chief minister does not understand ferry decision

Jersey's chief minister has said his government has "tried everything to improve inter-island car ferry services" and he does not understand why a proposed weekend service was rejected earlier this year by the States of Guernsey.

In his first extended interview since he was re-elected as the island's most senior politician, Senator Lyndon Farnham also told the BBC it was "disappointing" that Guernsey officials in April denied Scottish airline Loganair's bid to operate lifeline routes.

But he insisted his relationship with Guernsey's chief minister was "excellent", and said the pair were due to meet this week for bilateral talks.

The States of Guernsey has been contacted for comment.

Since March 2025, passenger and freight services to the islands have been operated by different firms - with services to Jersey provided by Danish firm DFDS, while Guernsey has been served by Brittany Ferries.

Currently, it is only possible to transport a vehicle between the two islands by ferry on a Wednesday, on a service operated by Brittany Ferries.

Following criticism about a lack of other options for travellers with vehicles, DFDS said it planned in the summer to use the Stena Vinga ferry to sail from Jersey to Guernsey on a Friday evening and then onwards to Portsmouth, with the reverse journey on a Monday, arriving in Jersey in the afternoon.

The States of Guernsey later told the Government of Jersey and DFDS to "stop playing games" after the operator cancelled sailings it was accused of having "no licence to operate in the first place".

Reflecting on the current situation, Farnham told the BBC that inter-island services would have been "better" if the Channel Islands had been served by one, rather than two ferry operators.

He said relations between the islands were "brilliant", although suggestions this was not the case were based "quite rightly" on "a key aspect of the ferry service," he added.

He added there were "lots of other good things" happening, "where we work very closely together", such as in the Channel Islands Brussels Office, but said "I've been disappointed that we haven't been able to work more closely [in relation to ferries].

"We have tried everything to improve inter-island car ferry services and it's been quite challenging.

"I'm going to continue now I am back in office."

Farnham went on to say he was concerned that people faced challenges travelling between the islands to attend sporting and social events.

"We'll find a solution," he said.

"I'm not quite sure that I understand why Guernsey have said no to the proposals put forward by DFDS, but we'll keep pressing."

The chief minister also reacted to Brittany Ferries' recent announcement that it planned to close routes and sell ships, as it battles with financial challenges.

"I wish them well," he said.

"It's important that Brittany Ferries are successful, for the whole region.

"And it's important that DFDS are successful for the whole region."

Farnham also reflected on the States of Guernsey's refusal of Loganair's bid to operate routes to Southampton and Jersey from Guernsey, following the collapse of Blue Islands.

"We were fortunate that Loganair was there, but they'd already come and were operating from Jersey, so we facilitated that and it's worked well and they're growing their links," he said.

"But again – disappointing - Guernsey have said 'no'.

"So that's, I don't think, worked in anyone's best interest.

"And I think Guernsey, if they're honest, will say they feel there's a certain amount of duty to protect their links and to protect their own airline - and I understand that."

Farnham said he and Guernsey Chief Minister Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, with whom he had an "excellent relationship", would "discuss some of these issues" at a bilateral meeting in Guernsey timed to coincide with this week's British-Irish Council summit in St Peter Port.

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