Condor 10 leaves Guernsey for the last time

Tuesday 01 June 2010

Condor 10, the car-carrying wavepiercer which revolutionised cross-Channel travel, makes its last journey to Guernsey today.

The ferry was built in Tasmania in 1992 and came on to the Weymouth-Channel Islands route with Condor in April 1993 as the company’s first car-carrying fast ferry, replacing the smaller, passenger-only wavepiercer Condor 9.

Condor 10 also worked in New Zealand (as The Lynx) and for other UK firms for a while in the 1990s. Condor 10 returned to the Channel Islands in 2002 and soon took up the St Malo route – again replacing Condor 9.

Simon Edsall, Managing Director, Condor Ferries, said:
“Condor 10 will always have a special place in the hearts of all at Condor Ferries. She certainly enabled us to enhance significantly the Islands’ transport links and she has proved to be an important part of Island life for many of our customers. It is sad to see her go, but we know that the investment in our new ferry, Condor Rapide, will enable us to give a better service to more passengers on the St Malo route,’

Condor Rapide starts its service on the St Malo route later this week, having operated between the UK and the islands for the past few weeks in place of Condor Express, which has been undergoing engine repairs. Condor Rapide has three times the car carrying capacity of Condor 10 and will allow more people to travel at the most popular times.