Scrutiny calls for faster ferries to France and a review of flat-rate freight fee

Reducing journey times to France is one of the ways DFDS could improve its services, a scrutiny panel has concluded.

Backbench politicians have been has been looking at how ferry operations could better serve the island.

The Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel began their review of DFDS' services and its contract with the government after the Concession Agreement was published in late 2025.

Read: DFDS contract reveals termination clause and performance penalties

The panel wanted to assess how the ferry service is meeting its obligations since it started serving the island almost 12 months ago. It invited passengers, businesses and key stakeholders to give their views

It has made 21 recommendations, including an independent review of the flat-rate freight fee demanded by the contract agreement, which some traders have said has pushed up prices for goods in the island.

The panel says the Minister should formally request that DFDS 'explores the options available for reducing journey times to France'.  It typically takes almost 2 hours to St Malo on the Tarifa Jet - around 35 minutes more than under the previous operator Condor Ferries.

Other key request of the panel are for a frequency traveller discount scheme and to work with Guernsey on a long-term solution for inter-islands connections.

Deputy Montfort Tadier, the Chair of the Panel, says the service has not matched people's expectations:

"This review has highlighted that, while some of the early problems can be attributed to the short lead-in time DFDS faced due to the tender process, others are as a direct result of the Concession Agreement.

"The Panel has found that some areas of the contract do not contain concrete requirements which can lead to differences in how they are interpreted by each party.

"While it is not possible at this stage for the contract to be renegotiated, there are mechanisms available that the Minister can use to request variations, and we strongly recommend that he use them to address the concerns raised."

DFDS has responded to the scrutiny panel's findings, saying it is committed to continuing to improve its Jersey services.

The ferry firm says it is refining timetables, has introduced a 15% lower residents' rate, upgraded the Levante Jet at a cost of £1.1m and is improving how it communicates delays and weather disruption.

A DFDS spokesperson said:

“We recognise that the first year did not meet everyone’s expectations, particularly during the early mobilisation period.

“What matters is the action taken since. We have strengthened operational planning, refined timetables using real travel data, invested in onboard comfort and accessibility, and improved communication when disruption occurs.

“Scrutiny is an important part of accountability. Our priority for 2026 is clear: reliable sailings, fair pricing and a better overall journey experience.”

Scrutiny says the panel that succeeds it after June's election should do a further review of the ferry service.