CONDOR LIBERATION BACK IN SERVICE AT POOLE

Condor Liberation (2010/6,307gt) returned to Poole-Channel Island duties at the beginning of December following a routine dry-docking at Falmouth. However, sailings by the Austal HSC were disrupted just before Christmas due to technical and weather-related issues.

The 0915 departure from Poole on 22 December (pictured) was delayed by almost two hours while engineers repaired a fault with the Marinelink system, which controls and monitors ride control, fire drenching and on-board public address systems, etc.

Sailings the next day were cancelled altogether as the wave height was predicted to be outside the vessel’s legal operating limit. Affected passengers were transferred to the ro-pax Commodore Clipper from Portsmouth.

Condor Liberation, previously Austal Hull 270 and Condor 102, was built by Austal Shipbuilders in Henderson, Australia. She entered service with Channel Island ferry operator Condor Ferries on 27 March 2015 as Condor Liberation. Kevin Mitchell