# Emeraude Ferries

Emeraude Ferries was a shipping company which operated vehicle and passenger ferries between the French city of Saint-Malo and the Channel Islands. The company ceased trading in May 2006 following strong competition and difficulties in finding a suitable vessel for the 2006 season.

## History

Emeraude Ferries was founded in 1904 as Bateaux de la Côte d'Émeraude. The initial operations of the company were to transport passengers and cargo between towns along the Côte d'Émeraude, including Saint Malo, Dinard and Cap Fréhel, and along the River Rance.
In 1987 Emeraude took over the services and boats of Vedettes Blanches et Vertes. Blanches et Vertes was formed from the amalgamation of the two previous operating companies Vedettes Blanches Saint Malo and Vedettes Vertes Granvillaises who had first launched their high speed catamaran services to the Channel Islands in 1976. In 1988 the company rebranded its ferry services as Emeraude Lines.
Competition arrived in March 2003 when Condor Ferries were granted a licence to carry cars from Jersey to St Malo. Previously only Emeraude Lines was permitted to carry cars and passengers to St Malo direct from Jersey. The decision by the States of Jersey had an immediate effect on Emeraude sales and by October of that year the company was in financial difficulties, having reputedly lost £1,000,000 in turnover since Condor operations began on the route. On 2 October 2003, the company filed for protection from bankruptcy in France with debts of €4,000,000, and was given 3 months to demonstrate the viability of a return to profitability. The Solidor 5 was impounded, although eventually released over a £300,000 debt to Jersey Harbours and Airport Committee for harbour fees for several days.
In November 2003, the administrator determined that the company needed to be sold to remain in business and named French company; Compagnie Nationale de Navigation as her preferred bidder for Emeraude, over a rival bid from a Jersey-based investor. Ultimately though, Emeraude Lines was purchased by the Sogestran Group in the same month. The company was renamed Emeraude Ferries, and after ending uncertainty over the service by securing the purchase of Solidor 5 in January 2004, recommenced normal service.
In early 2005, Emeraude tendered to operate routes between Carteret, Granville and Diélette to Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark. The service had been operated by Connex in 2004, but French government authority who had initiated and funded the service decided to terminate the contract in October of that year after a number of administrative and technical issues. Emeraude and Connex were beaten by Manche Iles Express, owned by Breton company; Société Morbihannaise de Navigation. Incidentally SMN's parent company had been among bidders to take over Emeraude when they were put up for sale in 2003.
A price war with Condor saw Emeraude lose millions of Euros over the Summer of 2005, and this was one of the factors in the decision to cease services. Initially the company only cancelled services in December 2005 until the end of February 2006, due to damage to the stabilising foils on Solidor 5, but the firm was unable to find a replacement vessel. Despite encouragement from the States of Jersey, and an announcement at the end of April 2006 that services would resume from the middle of May, the firm ultimately announced in May 2006, that sailings would not recommence. Reports of the figure vary, but Sogestran are believed to have incurred, by the time of closure, losses of between 8 and 15 million euros since taking over the company.

## Fleet

Emeraude operated a fleet of passenger and car ferries.
| Ship | Built | In service | Tonnage | Current status/Notes |
| Solidor | 1965 (Jos L. Meyer Verft, Papenburg, Germany) | 1977–1989 | 970 GT | Scrapped at Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard in 2010 |
| Nordlicht | 1973 (J. J. Sietas GmbH & Co, Hamburg, Germany) | 1978 | 999 GT | Sank in 2003 |
| Emsland / Elba Nova | 1977 (Usuki Shipyard of Usuki Iron Works Ltd, Usuki, Japan)) | 1984 and 1994-5 | 1,682 GT | Currently in service (2024) as Lady Carmela with Gestour |
| Trident 2 | 1976 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway) | 1987–1990 | | Purchased by Vedettes Blanches et Vertes in 1985 |
| Trident 3 | 1982 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway) | 1987–1996 | 252 GT | Originally launched by Vedettes Blanches et Vertes as Trident, renamed 1986 |
| Trident 4 | 1981 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway) | 1988–1998 | | |
| Solidor 2 | 1977 (Scheepswerf Hoogezand, Hoogezand, Netherlands) | 1989–1998 | 1,599 GT | Scrapped at Tandanor Shipyard in 2022 |
| Trident 5 | 1974 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway) | 1990–1996 and 1998–2000 | 211 GT | |
| Trident 6 | 1981 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway) | 1990–1994 | 211 GT | |
| Trident 7 | 1979 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway) | 1991–1998 | 234 GT | |
| Pegasus | 1977 (Westermoen Hydrofoil, Mandal, Norway) | 1991–1999 | | |
| Mont Orgueil | 1985 (Societe Bretonne de Construction Navale (SBCN)) | 1992-1995 and 1997-1999 | 46.80 GT | |
| Emeraude | 1994 (Leroux & Lotz Naval, St Malo, France) | 1994 | 851 GT | Sank in October 2022 in port of Papeete after being laid up by owners Aremiti Ferry, since February 2005 due to continual engine issues |
| Solidor 3 | 1996 (Kværner Fjellstrand, Omastrand, Norway) | 1996–2001 | 2,085 GT | Currently named (2024) Sama-1 |
| Emeraude Express | 1986 (Marinteknik Verkstads, Öregrund, Sweden) | 1998 | | |
| Normandie Express | 1988 (Marinteknik Verkstads, Öregrund, Sweden) | 1999–2003 | | |
| Solidor 4 | 1987 (Westamarin, Mandal, Norway) | 1999–2003 | 1,075 GT | Originally built as a W 5000L refrigerated cargo catamaran for carrying fish and fresh produce between Iceland and The Netherlands. After several years lay-up in Norway, rebuilt during 1992–93 by Oskarshamns Varv as a car carrying fast ferry, including the adding of a third passenger deck for an operator in the Caribbean. Currently in service (2024) as Formentera Direct with Baleària |
| Sea Shuttle 1 | 1994 (MK Sea Transportation International, South Africa) | 2000–2001 | | Waterborne airport shuttle for Air France between Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Nice Airport, operated by Emeraude |
| Solidor 5 | 2000 (Kværner Fjellstrand, Omastrand, Norway) | 2001–2005 | 2,369 GT | Currently in service (2024) as HSC Don Francesco with Laziomar |
| Emeraude GB | 1990 (Incat, Tasmania, Australia) | 2004–2005 | 3,000 GT | Holder of Hales Trophy 1990–1998. Entered Emmeraude service as Hoverspeed Great Britain. Currently in service (2024) as HSC High Speed Jet with Seajets |
| Emeraude France | 1990 (Incat, Tasmania, Australia) | 2005 | 3,012 GT | Currently in service (2024) as HSC Cat with Seajets |