Cherbourg route for HD Ferries.

HD Ferries has confirmed that it is starting a new route between the Channel Islands of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney and the French port of Cherbourg in August. It will sail twice a week in the summer on Mondays and Fridays. In the winter the sailing will be once a week on Fridays.

The new route will be the first car and freight service between the small island of Alderney and the important port of Cherbourg. The route has been designed not only with the tourists in mind but also for freight companies wanting to connect to the Cherbourg port in Normandy rather than to Britanny, which is already linked via St Malo to the south of the Channel Islands.

HD Ferries launched its low-cost service from Jersey in March but has been beset by difficulties ever since. Most recently one of its catamarans hit what the company thinks was a lobster pot on a journey in June between St Malo and Jersey and has been running late on many of its services between the French port and the island as a result. On Sunday 23 July the damaged catamaran will be taken out of service for repairs.