SeaFrance suspends all cross-Channel services
French ferry operator SeaFrance has suspended all services between Dover and Calais ahead of a court hearing tomorrow that will decide the fate of the ailing company.
Passengers with tickets are being transferred to DFDS sailings from Dover to Dunkirk and are being advised to turn up at Dover as normal. SeaFrance passengers turning up at Calais today were being advised to make their own way to Dunkirk.
"We have tried to get space on other ferries from Calais but we haven't managed it so far," said a SeaFrance operator. P&O Ferries offers 23 sailings a day between Dover and Calais, but the company has complained to the European Commission that SeaFrance, currently owned by French rail operator SNCF, may be sold for less than its market value.
Rivals DFDS and LD Lines are believed to have made a joint offer of €5m for the business while an employees co-operative has offered €1 to buy SeaFrance. While such a sale remains a possiblity, P&O is evidentally refusing to help out its striken competitor.
"Fortunately there is space on DFDS ferries though as this is a particularly quiet time of year," added the SeaFrance operator. DFDS has 12 crossings a day.
Passengers with tickets who no longer wish to travel should call 0845 458 0666 for a refund.
SeaFrance has been in administration since June last year and the Court of Administration will decide tomorrow whether the operator will be sold or shut down.
A statement on http://www.seafrance.com said the Board and the receivers had decided, in liaison with the French authorities, to suspend operations from 4am today.
"We have taken this decision, with full knowledge of the consequences, to safeguard the security of the passengers, crews, vehicles and ships," it said. "We are conscious of the inconvenience this situation is causing and we apologise for this. We will keep you informed of any changes in the present situation."
With permission from Travelmole
SeaFrance thrown a lifeline
Cross-Channel ferry company SeaFrance has been put into judicial liquidation but it will be allowed to continue operating until January 28.
The Dover-Calais operator, which suspended all services for 48 hours from 04:00 yesterday, has been given two months to attract buyers.
Rival DFDS and LD Lines have jointly offered to buy the business for €5m while an employee co-operative has offered €1 for the ferry operator but a French court ruled today that both offers were too low.
The Tribunal de Commerce in Paris said SeaFrance, which was placed in administration after losing €240m last year, was worth more.
The company is owned by French rail operator SNCF and SeaFrance rival P&O Ferries had argued that if the business were to be sold to DFDS or the employees for less than its market value it would amount to illegal state aid.
Passengers with tickets to travel on SeaFrance Dover to Calais sailings can get information from a helpline on 0044 (0) 845 458 0666.
With permission from Travelmole
Cross-Channel ferry company SeaFrance has been put into judicial liquidation but it will be allowed to continue operating until January 28.
The Dover-Calais operator, which suspended all services for 48 hours from 04:00 yesterday, has been given two months to attract buyers.
Rival DFDS and LD Lines have jointly offered to buy the business for €5m while an employee co-operative has offered €1 for the ferry operator but a French court ruled today that both offers were too low.
The Tribunal de Commerce in Paris said SeaFrance, which was placed in administration after losing €240m last year, was worth more.
The company is owned by French rail operator SNCF and SeaFrance rival P&O Ferries had argued that if the business were to be sold to DFDS or the employees for less than its market value it would amount to illegal state aid.
Passengers with tickets to travel on SeaFrance Dover to Calais sailings can get information from a helpline on 0044 (0) 845 458 0666.
With permission from Travelmole
SeaFrance hopes to resume services today
Cross-Channel ferry company SeaFrance is hoping to resume services today after being placed under the control of the administrators.
The Dover-Calais operator has been given until January 28 to attract buyers, or its services will stop altogether.
In the meantime, it said all commercial activities of the company will resume "as soon as all the issues concerning safety and security are resolved".
On its website, a statement says: "We are conscious of the inconvenience this situation is causing and we apologise for this. We will keep you informed of any changes in the present situation."
With permission from Travelmole
Cross-Channel ferry company SeaFrance is hoping to resume services today after being placed under the control of the administrators.
The Dover-Calais operator has been given until January 28 to attract buyers, or its services will stop altogether.
In the meantime, it said all commercial activities of the company will resume "as soon as all the issues concerning safety and security are resolved".
On its website, a statement says: "We are conscious of the inconvenience this situation is causing and we apologise for this. We will keep you informed of any changes in the present situation."
With permission from Travelmole
Up to 1,000 job losses at SeaFrance
SeaFrance has gone into liquidation with up to 1,000 job losses - 127 in the UK.
The Tribunal de Commerce court in Paris made the decision to liquidate the ferry operator today after finding that none of the other options were financially viable.
Provisions have been made to guarantee all customers with pre-existing bookings will get refunds and should contact the following number 0845 458 0666.
The French ferry operator SeaFrance suspended all services between Dover and Calais on 15 November last year, see previous story.
With permission from Travelmole
SeaFrance has gone into liquidation with up to 1,000 job losses - 127 in the UK.
The Tribunal de Commerce court in Paris made the decision to liquidate the ferry operator today after finding that none of the other options were financially viable.
Provisions have been made to guarantee all customers with pre-existing bookings will get refunds and should contact the following number 0845 458 0666.
The French ferry operator SeaFrance suspended all services between Dover and Calais on 15 November last year, see previous story.
With permission from Travelmole
Eurotunnel looks to buy SeaFrance ships
P&O Ferries has threatened to report Eurotunnel to the European Commission if its plan to buy SeaFrance's ships breaches European competition rules.
The warning came after Eurotunnel, the Channel tunnel operator, told a French newspaper it might buy SeaFrance's three ships from the company's administrator reports the Financial Times.
Jacques Gounon, Eurotunnel's executive chairman, said it would lease the ships to a new operator, possibly a co-operative of SeaFrance's staff.
Chris Laming, P&O's communications director, said it appeared to be a ‘never-ending battle' to persuade the French authorities that there should be a level playing field between different operators.
"If we felt that competition rules were being breached by our major cross-Channel competitor - Eurotunnel, with 40 per cent of the market - we would complain vigorously to the competition authorities in a bid to protect our own position," he said.
France's Tribunal de Commerce ordered SeaFrance's liquidation yesterday, see previous story, after it ruled out accepting any of the bids that had been made for the company, owned by SNCF, France's state-owned train operator.
SeaFrance's vessels have been out of use since the court placed the company in administration in November.
With permission from Travelmole
P&O Ferries has threatened to report Eurotunnel to the European Commission if its plan to buy SeaFrance's ships breaches European competition rules.
The warning came after Eurotunnel, the Channel tunnel operator, told a French newspaper it might buy SeaFrance's three ships from the company's administrator reports the Financial Times.
Jacques Gounon, Eurotunnel's executive chairman, said it would lease the ships to a new operator, possibly a co-operative of SeaFrance's staff.
Chris Laming, P&O's communications director, said it appeared to be a ‘never-ending battle' to persuade the French authorities that there should be a level playing field between different operators.
"If we felt that competition rules were being breached by our major cross-Channel competitor - Eurotunnel, with 40 per cent of the market - we would complain vigorously to the competition authorities in a bid to protect our own position," he said.
France's Tribunal de Commerce ordered SeaFrance's liquidation yesterday, see previous story, after it ruled out accepting any of the bids that had been made for the company, owned by SNCF, France's state-owned train operator.
SeaFrance's vessels have been out of use since the court placed the company in administration in November.
With permission from Travelmole
Eurotunnel confirms plan for cross-Channel ferry service
Eurotunnel confirmed yesterday it has set up a separate company to buy three of the four ships operated by the collapsed cross-Channel ferry operator SeaFrance.
On announcing a 16% increase in Eurotunnel revenues to €844.8m in 2011, the company's executive chairman Jacques Gounon said it was planning to lease the ferries, expected to cost €100m to €150m each, to a third-party operator.
The move could provide a lifeline for SeaFrance's 880 staff, as Gounon has previously indicated he would be willing to rent the ferries to a worker's co-operative which had originally planned a buy-out of SeaFrance.
SeaFrance ceased operating in December due to financial difficulties, and a French court ordered the company to be wound up on January 9 after none of the offers received for the company, including one from Denmark's DFDS and another from the worker's co-operative, were considered high enough.
Gounon revealed Eurotunnel had set up a separate company with a view to buying three ferries, but P&O Ferries said it would oppose any move by the train operator to launch sea crossings on competition grounds. Eurotunnel already accounts for 40% of all cross-Channel traffic and P&O Ferries handles 30%.
Eurotunnel saw a 10% increase in passengers on its cross-Channel shuttle service last year and a 2% rise in passenger numbers on its Eurostar train service. In total, 19m people and close to 17.7m tonnes of freight passed through the tunnel, but Eurotunnel said there was a potential to grow rail freight further following a 63% rise in revenue to €157.8m.
Gounon said: "In a difficult economic context, Groupe Eurotunnel has had a very good year. The group is well prepared to seize the opportunities which arise during 2012."
With permission from Travelmole
Eurotunnel confirmed yesterday it has set up a separate company to buy three of the four ships operated by the collapsed cross-Channel ferry operator SeaFrance.
On announcing a 16% increase in Eurotunnel revenues to €844.8m in 2011, the company's executive chairman Jacques Gounon said it was planning to lease the ferries, expected to cost €100m to €150m each, to a third-party operator.
The move could provide a lifeline for SeaFrance's 880 staff, as Gounon has previously indicated he would be willing to rent the ferries to a worker's co-operative which had originally planned a buy-out of SeaFrance.
SeaFrance ceased operating in December due to financial difficulties, and a French court ordered the company to be wound up on January 9 after none of the offers received for the company, including one from Denmark's DFDS and another from the worker's co-operative, were considered high enough.
Gounon revealed Eurotunnel had set up a separate company with a view to buying three ferries, but P&O Ferries said it would oppose any move by the train operator to launch sea crossings on competition grounds. Eurotunnel already accounts for 40% of all cross-Channel traffic and P&O Ferries handles 30%.
Eurotunnel saw a 10% increase in passengers on its cross-Channel shuttle service last year and a 2% rise in passenger numbers on its Eurostar train service. In total, 19m people and close to 17.7m tonnes of freight passed through the tunnel, but Eurotunnel said there was a potential to grow rail freight further following a 63% rise in revenue to €157.8m.
Gounon said: "In a difficult economic context, Groupe Eurotunnel has had a very good year. The group is well prepared to seize the opportunities which arise during 2012."
With permission from Travelmole
I heard that Ld lines and some other operater where planning on doing a joint venture?
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