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Absolutely but when a constant state of flux causes freight and tourist traffic not to book with them as the service may not exist next week it means no freight and no passengers which is always a bad thing.
They are indeed responding to business or commercial factors but these are of their own making. The newbuilding they obtained for Portsmouth, Norman Voyager, was less than satisfactory and has wound up chartered out to a competitor, Celtic Link, from Rosslare. The new fast ferry they chartered for Dover-Boulogne, Norman Arrow, was similarly a disaster and has been relegated to one round trip a day from Portsmouth in summer only. The TML ships they took over from Newhaven have been reduced to one ship with the other, Cote d'Albatre, swanning around looking for employment. Tried her Dover-Dieppe, nobody interested. Used her Dover-Boulogne, didnt fit in Dover well and apparently wont fit in the berth in the new hub port in Boulogne at all, now running from Portsmouth. Swapped her for the Norman Spirit for Dover-Boulogne, lasted no time at all and now probably destined Ramsgate-Ostend. Looking for something else to replace her. Etc, etc.
As I said above, all credit for trying new things and it is very much a learning curve for them as ferry industry neophytes, but there comes a point when the customers no longer have any confidence and that is not good. Hopefully things will start to settle down now and they will find their feet.
I certainly want to see Dover-Boulogne work as nobody else has as yet shown an interest in the route. With their prospective partnership with TEF Ramsgate-Ostend, there is also an outside chance that TEF might shift from Ramsgate to Dover which would restore Ostend to the destinations served from Dover. Unlikely but possible. There is spare berth capacity in Dover for the earlier generation ferries concerned.
