CHAMPION JET 3

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Latest news

Ferry delayed due to participation in SAR operation

The Jersey Lifeboat Association and RNLI launched their all-weather vessels at about 8 a.m. on Aug 31, 2020, after the crew of the 'Condor Rapide' spotted a capsized yacht near the Minquiers reef while returning from St Malo. The Channel Islands Air Search plane and a French military helicopter also scoured the area. No-one was on board the vessel or in the immediate area, and the operation was called off about two hours later. French authorities later made contact with the owner of the vessel, which was identified as a five to seven-metre long motorboat and believed to have come from Paimpol in Brittany. Attempts were made to tow it back to St Helier Harbour, but it broke up and sank. The 'Condor Rapide', which stayed on the scene until the SAR teams had arrived, arrived at St Helier Harbour at 9.50 a.m., about 1,5 hours later than scheduled.

Ferry suffered electrical problem

The "Condor Rapide" suffered an electrical problem at one of the engines in the evening of May 6, 2019. The 680 Jersey-bound passengers of the 6 p.m. sailing had to spend the night in Saint-Malo while the ship remained at the quay. They were accomodated by the ferry company. There was another delay for them in the morning of May 7. The ferry which was due to depart at 8 a.m., finally left the port only at 11 a.m. only, still due to the electrical problem. The delays continued all day. The 6:15 p.m. sailing departed at 8:40 p.m. from Saint-Malo. On May 8 all Condor Liberation crossings were canceled.

SMS completes first high-speed ferry refit in France

UK-based ship repairer and marine engineering services provider SMS has completed its first major high-speed craft refit in France this June. SMS carried out the scheduled week-long refurbishment on Condor Ferries’ Condor Rapide, docking the ferry on the Port Normands Associe’s ship lift (known as a syncrolift) at the Port of Cherbourg. The team completed minor structural repairs, electrical upgrades and work on the Wärtsilä waterjet propulsion system on the ferry’s port outer main engine. “As Condor Ferries we were impressed with both the speed and quality of SMS’s works and its coordination on the ground in Cherbourg,” said Rob Loder, ship manager for Condor Ferries. “It was a planned, challenging project and all parties performed well.” Manufactured by Rolls-Royce, the syncrolift is 90 metres long and 32 metres wide and can lift vessels weighing up to 3,000 tonnes.