A Scrutiny Committee hearing has been told that there is the potential for more sailings than the single midweek crossing to Jersey currently scheduled by Brittany Ferries.

Deputy Neil Inder and political and civil servants on Economic Development have been quizzed at length on the reasoning behind Guernsey going it alone on the joint ferry tender process and choosing Brittany Ferries, while Jersey has opted, latterly, for DFDS.

Much of the discussion focused on the day trip market.

Currently, until DFDS publishes its new timetables, there is only one, mid week, Brittany Ferries sailing between the two islands next spring and summer.

Deputy Inder and his committee assured those watching the live stream event that talks to add extra rotations are ongoing: "Brittany Ferries is going to drop a vessel into Jersey then the mutuality dictates in the contract that that should be reciprocated and further negotiations have to be based on reciprocation."

He said discussions continue: "It gives us an opportunity to work through the muddle that has been the inter island links, and I am quite certain by the end of January that we will have got to that point."

Deputy Inder was upbeat about the opportunities for the economies of Guernsey and Brittany now that there are direct links to St Malo: "By- passing Jersey could actually be an advantage and provide opportunity.

"Rather than Guernsey being the second fiddle, because Jersey markets itself all over the Brittany and Normandy regions whereas Guernsey doesn't.

"We're in the process of writing to the Chamber of Commerce in St Malo as we want to know what the opportunities are."