THE arrival in Dorset of a £50 million super-ferry that will be taking over cross-Channel passenger services is a stark reminder that Weymouth will be losing out.

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Condor Ferries’ high-speed trimaran sailed into Poole on Boxing Day where it will be based.

Condor is pulling out of Weymouth in March 2015 as it will be operating a single service to the Channel Islands from Poole with the larger and faster ferry, Condor 102.

The company wanted to operate it from Weymouth as the sea crossing is quicker, but Weymouth and Portland Borough Council cannot afford to pay the £10 million requested to improve a ferry berth that would accommodate the vessel.

Councillors are now considering options to support Weymouth Harbour after a report found that ‘urgent action’ would be needed to find alternative income when Condor has left.

The loss will see a drop in harbour income of £750,000 per year. The economy will be hit further as local services benefit from Condor including accommodation providers.

Attempts by the council to tempt another ferry operator to Weymouth have proved unsuccessful.

Management committee chairman Cllr Mike Byatt said while it was ‘regrettable’ that Condor was leaving, it was now time to ‘look to the future’.

He said: “This is covered in our town centre masterplan – our strategic vision for going forward – which includes opportunities for the peninsula and ferry port, and how we will be attracting inward investment.

“We’re very much looking forward to the future now and we have to be positive about the changing environment we’re now operating in.”

Condor 102 arrived in Poole on Boxing Day morning having sailed 10,500 nautical miles from the Philippines.

The new ferry will now go through a period of customisation with the interior set to be completed by refurbishment specialists Trimline before it comes into service in late March, sailing from Poole to Guernsey and Jersey.

From the end of March, all journeys to the Channel Islands will be on the new Condor 102 from Poole, which its owners claim will offer improved reliability, increased capacity and a greater level of comfort with smoother journeys.