DFDS to add second Dover/Calais ship
- 29 March 2012 09:13162005He's still there but only for a few more days. He has decided to retire. We are hoping to move to France later this year. We were a tad peeved when LD Lines gave up the Dieppe route. It took a couple of hours off our journey t'other side although the "facilities" at Dieppe were not up to much. I would ask in my politest and best French for a couple of coffees (or "woteva") to be told, "Non - fermé".
- 19 April 2012 02:12166526This is the Barfleur on her way to Dunkerque for drydocking prior to entering service Dover-Calais. Seen here with the Dunkerque pilot being lowered onto the ship by chopper off Calais. This will give DFDS/LD a two ship service although they are both a bit long in the tooth and face stiff competition. P&O run a high frequency service to Calais and it remains to be seen what is happening to the ex Sea France ships. The bidding war finishes in the next few weeks. Eurotunnel have made a firm offer, P&O have declared themselves not interested, and DFDS are keeping their options open. Eurotunnel are the front runners and with the modern dedicated short sea ferries Rodin and Berlioz, together with the Nord Pas de Calais for freight, would be a serious new competitor on Dover-Calais. Interesting times.
- 19 April 2012 07:32166535Great set of pictures there Ed. I take it they will be giving the ship a new set of colours to match the Norman Spirit which has a good colourful livery, off the top of my head I think it is scheduled to start service on Apr 27. Will check back shortly on that. Interesting that Eurotunnel are still in the game...didnt know that, whoever gets hold of the Seafrance ships could be a strong player for sure. I saw the Norman Spirit plying its wares bravely in the bad weather yesterday and I remembered that Ed mentioned previously its not great in poor weather...so thought...oh dear! I'd rather be on dry land.
Yes have just checked back...she is scheduled to start on the 27 April which is only 8 days away. Will she make it on time if only heading for drydock now??email: dover7@msn.com - 19 April 2012 08:42166544Just come back to add this picture of one of those sleek Seafrance vesels, Berlioz or Rodin I cant tell which one it is, but now up for grabs with Eurotunnel the frontrunner...see Ed's post above.
Love the way the ships saunter along the beach in Calais.email: dover7@msn.com - 19 April 2012 09:16166556Yes, 27th April is cutting it fine but we shall see.
I think Barfleur will be in DFDS colours as she is being given a DFDS name, Deal Seaways. There is an excellent photoshop job of what she might look like on the link below. Alternatively, I think she is only on a six month charter so they may keep the white hull and just have DFDS funnels etc.
http://www.ferryfantastic.webs.com/
There is a new company being formed to operate the DFDS and LD vessels on the channel so maybe there will be a joint livery at some future date. Alternatively, LD will only have a tiny percentage of the joint company so maybe the plan is to have them onboard to give the operation a French flavour to keep the unions happy then buy them out at a later date. Both ships are French crewed.
I would suspect that this is just putting a toe in the water and greater things are planned. Possibly we may see the three D class vessels changing to a Dover-Calais, Dover-Dunkerque schedule.
Re Eurotunnel, this post from IFW is circulating on the internet: "The deadline for sealed bids to acquire the vessels of collapsed cross-Channel ferry operator SeaFrance, whose assets are now in the hands of the liquidator, has been set for 4 May. The ships in question are the Rodin, Berlioz and freighter Nord Pas de Calais, which have an estimated combined value of up to €150 million. A source close to the sale process told IFW a bankruptcy judge is scheduled to deliver his verdict by the middle of next month. In the event of a bid being accepted, the transfer of vessels to the new owner would very likely be completed by the beginning of June, the source added. Late last month, he revealed that Eurotunnel, P&O and DFDS were due to make further inspections of the vessels. We are as determined as ever to submit an offer, and plan to do so in the second half of April, a Eurotunnel spokesperson told IFW yesterday. DFDS has yet to decide whether to submit a bid. "There are not too many vessels specifically adapted to the Dover-Calais crossing on the market and we are keeping our options open for the moment," a spokesman said. DFDS and French partner LD Lines will deploy a second vessel on their Dover-Calais route later this month. P&O Ferries, however, will not be pursuing its interest, a spokesman confirmed." - 19 April 2012 15:51166648Love that set of pix too Ed, always exciting to see a helicopter hovering over a ship, either picking up or dropping off
I guess it's looking more and more likely to be Euotunnel at the finish
Ah!!! the heady days of Summer on a glorious Calais sandy beach, beautiful
- 20 April 2012 08:36166793#24. The ship looks to be the Berlioz. The only difference between her and the Rodin is that Berlioz had shiny exhausts and the Rodin's were black.
The revised service with two ships is due to start next Friday (27th April) and the timetable looks interesting enough that I may be able to make use of their 11:00 sailing from Calais.Phil West
If at first you don't succeed, use a BIGGER hammer!! - 22 April 2012 07:16167191Thanks Phil there and thanks guys all round for the core info.
Have reproduced Ed's pictures of the Barfleur, soon to be the Deal Seaways, on the frontpage with the latest information. Many thanks Ed...fascinating pictures indeed.
email: dover7@msn.com - 27 April 2012 16:28168674There is a new image on the harbour horizon..and here it is, the Deal Seaways.
I was out of town today so havent got a proper shot...but here's one to be going on with til we get a better one. After a quick turnaround in the drydock in Dunkerque, here she is in Dover in her new blue and white DFDS livery, ready for action and right on the projected schedule of April 27th.
email: dover7@msn.com - 27 April 2012 16:41168684See also the other thread...Deal Seaways - New Ferry.email: dover7@msn.com
- 27 April 2012 19:40168741Great news! It's good to see the Deal Seaways in the harbour and right on schedule too Lovely bright pic above
