Morel Defends DFDS Contract Amid Calls for Retender

DFDS began operating Jersey’s passenger and freight routes in March 2025 after the Channel Islands selected different providers when a joint tender process failed. Retailer Sandpiper CI has since called for the Jersey contract to be retendered, blaming DFDS’s flat-rate freight charges and proposed port dues for a reported 2% rise in food prices, which it described as a “tax on food”.

Sandpiper also raised concerns about service reliability, claiming repeated delivery disruptions and cancellations since DFDS took over. DFDS rejected the criticism, saying its pricing model was required under the government contract and that its freight capacity exceeded requirements, with significant spare capacity to recover from disruption.

Appearing before a scrutiny panel, Minister Kirsten Morel said DFDS had improved performance by replacing the MV Arrow with the Caesarea Trader and praised the company’s commitment to the route. He acknowledged mistakes around consultation on schedule changes but said DFDS was now engaging with stakeholders and bringing forward revised proposals.