Brittany Ferries has confirmed that almost a third more passengers have travelled to and from the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the first six months of its new fifteen-year contract with the States of Guernsey.
The company's direct services from Poole, Portsmouth, and St Malo saw a combined increase of 28.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
Latest figures for the period from April 1 to August 31 show that passenger carryings increased by 38,522. The most notable growth was on the route from St Malo, France, where traffic was up by 59.2 per cent.
This has resulted in Guernsey’s share of the Channel Islands’ market from St Malo rising to more than 40 per cent, compared with just a fifth in 2024.
Christophe Mathieu, Chief Executive of Brittany Ferries, stated that it was “fantastic” to see the improvement and encouraging that the growth has been consistent across the summer.
He added that the new direct schedule, with improved timings and more frequent sailings, has been well received by customers.
Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, President of the Committee for Economic Development, said it was, "incredibly positive to see such strong growth in ferry passengers across all routes".
She noted that the large uplift in passengers from St Malo will have positive impacts on a variety of sectors in the Bailiwick.