The Condor Islander will dock in St Peter Port for the first time on Monday 31 July.

The Condor Islander is the latest addition to the fleet and was bought jointly by the company and the States of Guernsey through a £26M loan and each side putting in £3M. Jersey hasn't taken part in the financing.

The Islander initially sailed from New Zealand to Santander in northern Spain and has undergone engineering work there for the past two months.

John Napton, Condor’s CEO, says over the coming days it'll sail to the ports it will serve including Jersey, Cherbourg and St Malo to ensure crew are familiar with docking procedures:

"These trials are important for our crews and shore staff in the various ports to familiarise themselves with the new ship."

The Islander is due to enter service in late October after it's refitted in the UK with a duty-free shop, changes to overnight cabin configurations and a make over of the passenger lounges.