Trident Charter Company

The Trident Charter Company is a shipping firm based in Guernsey, Channel Islands. The company operates the ferry route between Guernsey and Herm using the Herm Trident V, a twin Iveco diesel-powered catamaran with a steel hull. The ferry sails daily from St Peter Port Harbour.

The company also owns the Herm Trident VI (a sister vessel to the Herm Trident V) which was built at the Gravesend shipyard in 1991. In the summer season, Trident lease the boat to Isle of Sark Shipping. Both ferries are licensed to carry 250 passengers.

As well as the Trident V and VI ferries, the company also runs the Herm Clipper, a traditional single-hulled wooden ferry. The Herm Clipper acts as an overflow vessel on busy days and is sometimes run separately through Herm Seaways (a subsidiary of Trident Charter Company).

On 23 August 2003 in poor visibility, the Herm Trident VI ran aground on Percée Rocks near Herm Island. [ [http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/2004/trident_VI.cfm Marine Accident Investigation Branch report] . (The full report is available as a pdf file linked from this page). Retrieved on 2007-11-23.] The vessel remained afloat and the 179 passengers were safely evacuated onto the Herm Trident V. The ferry then made its way to St Peter Port under its own steam. Despite this incident the company has a good safety record.Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/3459681.stm|title=Safety assurances after ferry report|accessdate=2007-11-23|publisher=BBC News|year=2004] In 1994, the Herm Trident IV was at rest when it was rammed and sunk by the Norman Commodore when she lost engine control. [Cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Condor.html|title=Condor Ferries|accessdate=2007-11-23]

References

* [http://www.herm-island.com/daytrips/Trident-Ferry/default.aspx Trident Ferry website] . Retrieved 2007-11-23