HD Ferries
HD Ferries
Launched in 2007, HD Ferries operate a fast catamaran ferry service between the Channel Island ports of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney and the French ports of St Malo and Cherbourg. It offers a competitive service for passengers and freight, with frequent departures.
In summer there is a daily service from the Channel Islands to France; in winter there are three weekly departures. HD Ferries was set up to provide a high speed, no-frills, value for money service for both passenger and freight traffic, to meet the growing demand for a regular and reliable transport service between Jersey, Guernsey and France.
It uses the innovative and highly regarded WebRes reservation system to deliver value for money travel based on demand driven pricing. The HD Ferries ship – HD1 – is a high-speed catamaran that can top 45 knots. The ferry was built in 1998, making it the newest fast ferry serving the Channel Islands. It has space for 100 cars, or 70 cars and 10 freight vehicles, and up to 400 passengers. The HD1 provides a free magazine for every traveller with local information and special offers.
History
Following the cessation of the Emeraude Lines ferry service in 2005, the States of Jersey, Guernsey and the French region of Brittany were looking for an additional operator to meet the demand for ferry travel between the Channel Islands and France. HD Ferries, established in January 2007, was one of the companies approached, and after 9 months of investigation and negotiations it was announced that a new ferry service linking the ports of St Helier in Jersey, St Peter Port in Guernsey and St Malo in France would soon be operational, and designed to provide a high speed, no-frills, value for money service for both passengers and freight.
Condor Ferries and the defunct Emeraude Line had been the only two services operating in the area prior to this, and an additional ferry service was needed to challenge Condor and thereby maintain a competitive market environment for potential and actual customers.
In June 2007, HD Ferries announced that it planned to incorporate Alderney and Cherbourg into the route, and made its first successful sailing to Cherbourg on 6 August 2007, marking the start of its new twice weekly service between Jersey/Guernsey and Cherbourg.
The HD Ferries service has made a significant impression in the Channel Islands, with increasing numbers of local residents, holiday makers and freight drivers using the service on a daily basis, and in fact HD Ferries is considered to be the major reason for the increase in sea traffic to Jersey in 2007.
HD1 docks is in the Jersey ferry port of St Helier. After approaching the Route De La Liberation roundabout take the 2nd exit onto La Route Du Port Elizabeth, and then follow signs to the ferry port.
