HSC Champion Jet 1
Fast catamaran ferry

HSC Champion Jet 1 docked at Heraklion
History
Name
  • 1997: Hull 044
  • 1997–2015: Condor Vitesse
  • 2015–present: Champion Jet 1
Owner
Operator
Port of registryLimassol, Cyprus, Cyprus
RoutePireaus-Tinos-Paros-Naxos-Paros-Pireaus
BuilderIncat, Tasmania, Australia
Yard number044
Laid down1 November 1996
Launched7 May 1997
Completed1997
IdentificationIMO number: 9151008
General characteristics
Tonnage5,007 gt
Length86.62 m (284.2 ft)
Beam26 m (85.3 ft)
Draft3.5 m (11.5 ft)
Installed power4x Ruston 20RK270
Propulsion4x Lips LJ145D waterjet
Speedup to 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph)
Capacity
  • 741 passengers
  • 200 vehicles

HSC Champion Jet 1 is a catamaran ferry operated by Seajets. It was previously owned by Condor Ferries and named Condor Vitesse.

History

HSC Condor Vitesse approaching Poole Harbour

Champion Jet 1 was built in 1997 by Incat, in Hobart, Australia as Incat 044 as a speculative order. She was sent to Europe and arrived in July 1997 at Portland and was later moved to Århus, Denmark. By moving the vessel to Europe, Incat hoped that she would attract a buyer. In late 1997 Condor Ferries announced it would again run services from Weymouth in 1998. The service was to operate to Guernsey and St Malo using the Condor 10 but in March 1998 Condor Ferries announced it would charter the Incat 044 and rename her Condor Vitesse for the new service. The charter had the option to purchase which was later taken up.

She operated in 1998 at a reduced passenger capacity of 500 passengers and 90 cars in order to provide space to transfer passengers from the Condor Express Poole-Channel Islands service should the need arise. Condor Express had suffered a number of mechanical problems during her first year in service in 1997 and also during 1998, these problems meant that the Condor Vitesse had to move to the Poole-Channel Islands service a number of times during that year. From December 1999 until April 20002 Condor Vitesse was chartered to Tranz Rail for the Interislander service and carried the marketing name of The Lynx.[2] She returned to Europe for the summer to continue operating for Condor Ferries.

In 2001, Condor Ferries and Brittany Ferries entered into an agreement to run a Poole-Cherbourg fastcraft service. Condor Vitesse was chosen for this service, possibly because of her French sounding name, and she began sailing on the route in May 2001 as well as operating for Condor Ferries in the afternoon between Poole and St Malo calling at one of the Channel Islands on the way. The fastcraft service was great success carrying double what was predicted. The summer operation pattern was a morning round trip between Poole and Cherbourg then an afternoon round trip to St Malo. In 2003 her livery was modified with the application of the new Condor Ferries and Brittany Ferries logos, it was altered again in 2007 when three flags were painted on the ship's side forward of the bridge. The flags are those of Jersey, Guernsey and St Malo.

On 14 January 2015, it was announced that she would be sold to Greek firm Seajets with her sister-ship Condor Express, owing to her replacement by Condor Liberation.[3] She was delivered to her new owner in late-February 2015, and renamed HSC Champion Jet 1.[4]

Accidents and incidents

Condor Vitesse was holed after colliding with the jetty in St Malo on 22 March 2008.

At approximately 0645 UTC on 28 March 2011, she was involved in a collision with a Granville fishing boat, the 9.3m Les Marquises near the Minquiers whilst en route from St Malo in foggy conditions. Two of the French fishermen were rescued from the water by the ferry's safety boats. The skipper of Les Marquises, 42-year-old Philippe Claude Lesaulnier, was rescued by another fishing boat Joker and transferred to Jersey's lifeboat, but died later the same day in Jersey's hospital.[5][6][7][8][9][10] An inquest in Jersey revealed that Lesaulnier died of crush injuries to the upper abdomen, and drowning.[11] He was married with four children.[12]

An investigation began.[13] The French investigator, Renauld Gaudeul, procureur de la République de Coutances said that the speed of the ferry[14][failed verification] would be of key importance to the investigation.[15] On 19 October 2011, the BEAmer released its report.[16] In summary;

"Condor Vitesse sailed from Saint-Malo in thick fog conditions; the fog horn had been inactivated very early and the visual lookout had not been strengthened. The speed had progressively reached 37 knots. In the wheelhouse almost continuous talks without any link with the watchkeeping, maintained an atmosphere not compatible with the necessary concentration to conduct a HSC in the fog. This behavior, as well as the visibility are the causal factors of the accident. When Condor Vitesse approached the Minquiers waters, both officers did not detect 2 vessel echoes ahead on starboard, the first was a ship that would be passing at a hundred of meters on starboard, the second was Les Marquises. The potter was fishing, with her radar on, without emitting any sound signals. A hand saw the HSC at the last moment but too late to alert the skipper. The collision cut the fishing vessel in two parts, while on board the HSC there was a leak in the starboard bow compartment. The aft part of the potter kept afloat for a time, allowing the two hands to stay on it until they have been rescued by the HSC crew."[17]

On 11 September 2013 the court in Coutances found the Vitesse captain Paul Le Romancer and first officer Yves Tournon (both of whom no longer work for Condor) guilty of manslaughter, involuntary injury and failure to respect maritime regulations.[18] Tournon was later exonerated by the Caen appeal court, which quashed his conviction.[19]

Condor Vitesse in Brittany Ferries marketing

Brittany Ferries used a variety of marketing names for the vessel in its publicity and ticketing. The ship has been advertised as Brittany Ferries Condor Vitesse and Vitesse. From 2005 she was referred to as Normandie Vitesse except in the Brittany Ferries information leaflet for the ship which referred to her as Vitesse.

Condor Vitesse carried small Brittany Ferries branding on both sides towards the stern. In Brittany Ferries publicity, the positioning of the Condor and Brittany branding was either reversed, or the Condor branding was removed altogether. Condor Vitesse was the first vessel to carry the current Brittany Ferries logo.

Routes

2025:

Oct 28

Oct 25

Oct 3–19

Sep 30 – Oct 1

Sep 27

Sep 18 – Sep 21

July 18 – Sep 15

June 6 – July 17

June 5

May 30

April 30 – May 16

April 4–29

2024:

Oct 2024

Sep 2024

June – Sep 2024

June 2024

May – June 2024

Apr – May 2024

2023:

Oct 2023

Sep 2023 – Oct 2023

June 2023 – Sep 2023

May 2023 – June 2023

Apr 2023 – May 2023

2022:

Oct 2022

July 2022 – Sep 2022

June 2022 – Sep 2022

Apr 2022 – June 2022

2021:

Oct 2021

From Sep 2021 to Oct 2021

route from July 2021 to Sep 2021

(Mondays, Wednesdays, Friday, Saturday & Sunday)

Sister ships

References

  1. ^ "HSC Champion Jet 1 (ex Condor Vitesse, Incat 044) – Past and Present". Dover Ferry Photos. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
  2. ^ Condor Vitesse Ships Monthly August 2014 pages 33–35
  3. ^ Catamarans to go as trimaran fits outs Ships Monthly April 2015 page 11
  4. ^ "Condor Ferries sells Express and Vitesse to Greek firm". BBC News. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Ferry collides with fishing boat". Jersey Evening Post. 28 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 March 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
  6. ^ "La Manche Libre – Un chalutier harponné par le Condor, un marin pêcheur trouve la mort – 29 March 2011". Archived from the original on 6 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Un ferry et un bateau de pêche de Granville (50) sont entrés en collision au large de Jersey". www.allboatsavenue.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Collision mortelle entre un ferry et un caseyeur". saint-malo.maville.com. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Man dies after ferry collision". thisisjersey.com. 28 March 2011. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  10. ^ "Police investigate Condor collision". thisisjersey.com. 29 March 2011. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  11. ^ "Fisherman died of crush injuries, inquest told". Jersey Evening Post. 2 April 2011. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  12. ^ "Victims of a tragedy at sea – 30 March 2011". Jersey Evening Post. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  13. ^ "Police investigate Condor collision". Jersey Evening Post. 29 March 2011. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  14. ^ "Vessel track – Condor Vitesse – 28 March 2011". MaritimeTraffic.com. 28 March 2011. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
  15. ^ "Collision avec un ferry: décès d'un marin-pêcheur – 28 March 2011". france3. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  16. ^ "Rapport d'enquête technique: Condor Vitesse / Les Marquises" (PDF). BEAmer. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  17. ^ "Damning report released on Condor ferry crash". Channel Television. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  18. ^ http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=507153[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ "French court upholds sentence for Condor captain". Jersey Evening Post. 3 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
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