Chamber concerned by wait for DFDS winter schedule

Thursday, 14 August 2025 11:41

We're told DFDS is set to publish its winter sailing schedule for Jersey early next week.

Islanders and hospitality businesses have been waiting for bookings to open for ferry travel beyond the end of October.

Whilst trips up to the end of half term were made available in early July, it's not currently possible to book with DFDS to the UK or France beyond then.

Jersey Chamber of Commerce is concerned and says it's been impressing upon DFDS management the importance of releasing sailing times as soon as possible.

CEO Murray Norton told Channel 103 he expects a winter timetable next week:

"They (DFDS) are acutely aware of the concerns we have expressed and are working urgently to deliver finalised, detailed and accurate schedules that require minimal changes for customers.

"DFDS have discussed these concerns with Chamber, and we expect schedules for the rest of this year will be online next Tuesday (19 August) and schedules to October 2026 will be released in September.

"We understand some of these delays involve finalising timings with the various port authorities.”

DFDS has told Channel 103 it will be published on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, visitor numbers to Jersey were down 16% to the end of June.

Figures out this week show there have been 118,200 fewer bed nights so far in 2025, a 13% decline.

Data published earlier this year showed ferry travel was down, and in May passenger numbers on the St Malo route had halved compared to the same month last year.

It's believed the long delay in awarding the ferry contract has been a major factor.

Meanwhile Guernsey, which went its own way and appointed Brittany Ferries as its ferry operator, has this week reported a significant increase in visitors from France and attributed that to its choice of service provider.

In early July BF published a schedule for its Guernsey to UK and France sailings to November 2026.