Channel Chieftain Five: Lifeline in Crisis

0:00On March 31st, a daily freight boat called the Channel Chieftain 5-Links jersey in Guernsey, hauling national newspapers printed in Jersey too. Stores in Guernsey, plus all sorts of goods. Verizon costs and slumping newspaper sales are putting this vital service on the brink. Fuel prices have spiked lately, blamed on conflicts in the far east, making operations tougher for owner David Neuth and his iris freight team. He says without the newspaper runs, which they've done for the past ten years, the boat couldn't keep going financially. Folks across the islands rely on it hard. Medical supplies from Jersey Hospital to Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth, dental gear for repairs, even ten. Seals over the years to Guernsey's sanctuary. Bakery's ship fresh rolls and cakes overnight. Impossible with bigger fairies. Businesses like Drew Dental and Islands Choice Bakery say they'd struggle big time without it, forcing longer stays or lost service. The GSPCA praises it for safe sea transport of six seal pups way better than

1:02flying. Neuth figures print papers will fade in three to five years, but hopes the government steps up with support for a stronger link between the islands. For now, this little catamaran remains their everyday lifeline.