Portsmouth / Poole – February 2026 – Guernsey has overtaken Jersey as the most popular Channel Island for sea travel from the UK, capturing 55 per cent of all ferry passengers between April and October 2025.
The milestone marks the first time UK/Guernsey routes have surpassed UK/Jersey in overall passenger numbers, according to new data from IRN Ferry.
Passenger Numbers Shift in Guernsey’s Favour
Between April and October 2025:
- 112,255 passengers travelled from Portsmouth and Poole to Guernsey
- 92,023 passengers travelled from the same ports to Jersey
- Total UK–Channel Islands ferry passengers: 204,278
This gives Guernsey a 55% market share, compared with Jersey’s 45%.
October figures show an even stronger performance, with Guernsey’s share rising to 57%, reinforcing the island’s growing dominance in UK sea travel.
(Source: IRN Ferry data 2025 – www.irnferry.com/ferrystat)
Brittany Ferries Drives Growth
The growth follows a successful first season for Brittany Ferries under its contract with the States of Guernsey, which began in April 2025.
The operator reported that overall carryings to Guernsey increased by nearly one-third compared with the previous year.
Christophe Mathieu, Chief Executive of Brittany Ferries, said:
“We have seen a fantastic first summer with consistent growth over the full seven months, which is all the more remarkable when you consider the respective populations of both Islands. For the Bailiwick of Guernsey to have welcomed well over half of all UK visitors by sea to the Channel Islands is a credit to everyone involved.”
Strong Growth on France–Guernsey Routes
In addition to UK services, Brittany Ferries recorded significant gains on its France connections.
Between April and October 2025, the company carried 99,325 passengers between Guernsey and St Malo — an increase of 36,472 passengers compared with the same period in 2024.
This dual-market performance — UK and France — has strengthened Guernsey’s overall maritime tourism and connectivity profile.
Bringing the Bailiwick Closer Together
Looking ahead, Brittany Ferries plans to expand service integration by working with local ferry operators to introduce through-services from the UK and France to other islands within the Bailiwick.
Mr Mathieu added:
“After a successful first season, we are excited to look ahead and see how we can make our services even better. One of our next initiatives is to bring the Islands of the Bailiwick closer together by teaming up with the local ferry operators to offer through-services from the UK and France.”
Market Overview: April–October 2025
| Operator | Routes | Passengers | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brittany Ferries | Poole & Portsmouth / Guernsey | 112,255 | 55% |
| DFDS | Poole & Portsmouth / Jersey | 92,023 | 45% |
| Total | – | 204,278 | – |
(Source: IRN Ferry)
About Brittany Ferries
Founded in 1972, Brittany Ferries began as a freight-only service linking Roscoff and Plymouth. Over five decades, it has expanded routes across France, the UK, Spain and Ireland, serving millions of passengers and freight customers.
Between 2019 and 2025, five new vessels joined the fleet, including LNG-electric hybrid ships Saint-Malo (February 2025) and Guillaume de Normandie (April 2025), completing the largest fleet renewal programme in the company’s history.
For more information:
- IRN Ferry data: www.irnferry.com/ferrystat
- About IRN Ferry: www.irnferry.com/about-us
The shift in Guernsey UK ferry market share signals changing travel patterns across the Channel Islands and underscores the growing importance of competitive maritime connectivity between the UK, France and the Bailiwick.
