The future of sea france
- 21 November 2011 12:55138168i thought that was the day they were being wound up if a buyer isn't found.
- 21 November 2011 14:0313817129 Jan is liquidation day if all else fails.I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
- 23 November 2011 20:08138666all back on local news tonight that the "nord pas de calais council" wish to purchase the ailing operator.
our man in westmimster never short of an opinion.
this man thinks that putting more money in is pointless if the business model is not changed.
with braces like that he must know about money.
any report would not be complete without simon jones standing outside the yacht club waiting for the bar to open.
- 24 November 2011 09:16138694Ah...have just now seen your latest news above Howard
... after I put a picture of the three vessels tied up in Calais yesterday on the frontpage. Didnt catch the news programmes yesterday as was over in France so thats very interesting to see.
It is sad to see such wonderful ships laid up see pic frontpage, but it could be a lifeline if Nord Pas de Calais do the necessary. They dont seem to be short of money over there, there was talk onetime of them buying our Port here, but with regard to Seafrance yes they may indeed need to rework the business model.email: dover7@msn.com - 24 November 2011 10:28138697i don't see the bid working paul, nord pas de calais are looking for money from sncf and the government, which would be against european law, p & o would jump on that immediately.
i was also told by another source that any buyer would have to keep the current staff for 15 months. - 25 November 2011 13:48138910SeaFrance Nord Pas de Calais with a couple of fuel bowsers onboard at lunchtime today. They were complaining that they were running out of fuel for the generators, and also running out of food. NPC is the one which is stuck in Dover, the other three are in Calais.
As they are now in judicial administration, the court administrators have ordered that they stay laid up although the crew want to go back on the run. A mediator has been appointed. Believe there is only enough money in the kitty to pay the wages until mid December, and presumably none for fuel, stores, etc.
Meanwhile the CFDT union is still trying to attract investors for its SCOP scheme to run the ships itself. The Nord Pas de Calais regional council has offered 10m Euros and there are odds and ends from elsewhere but they will need a lot more than that.
European Seaway has been brought out of lay up in Tilbury to help handle all the extra traffic and can be seen in the background loading on the other side of the berth.
All DFDS sailings are jam packed and the three ships are carrying 2400 trucks a day instead of the 1400 which they would normally expect at this quiet time of year.
- 25 November 2011 14:07138917Surely council funding would count as government money and therefore inadmissible?I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
- 25 November 2011 14:10138921Yes, it was a sad sight indeed to see the Moliere, Rodin and Berlioz moored up in Calais on Wedsnesday
We managed to get one of those P&O £19 deals with the six bottles of free Gallo wine and free breakfast when you buy one, if you want to bag yourself one of these deals you need to book before Dec1
- 25 November 2011 14:13138923Meanwhile freight drivers are facing long delays due to the lack of sailings. Three hour wait at Calais for a boat is not unusual at the moment.
beer the food of the gods - 25 November 2011 14:19138925the way i read it they were looking to the french goverment to put up most of the money, so the situation is as before, they would be breaking european law.
- 25 November 2011 14:56138932Think the difference is that the money they are looking for is to be supplied at commercial rates of interest as opposed to the previous massive outright subsidies from SNCF and hence the French taxpayer.
- 25 November 2011 15:52138938that puts a different complexion on things but still begs the question "would the french taxpayer be happy with money lent whilst they are feeling the pinch"?
- 25 November 2011 16:28138944Here's another picture from Calais wednesday..see also the one on the frontpage in case you've missed it...
a couple of banners hang there but more out of hope than expectation. Even the banners are half hearted. Ive cropped the pic so hopefully they can be read
Ah cant read them when reduced to the size above despite cropping
banner left says " Laisser Mous Travail..."
banner right says " Mobiliser vs urgent "
I think thats what they are saying..not sure of the translation so if anyone can translate please do.email: dover7@msn.com - 26 November 2011 06:40139009Quick schoolboy French guess: "laisser nous travail" sounds like "let us work" and "mobiliser vs urgent" sounds like "get us moving asap".
SeaFrance Nord Pas de Calais should be leaving Dover today as she is on the Dunkerque port website as arriving at 1430.
http://www.dunkerque-port.fr/en/commercial-activities/ships-entry-transit.htm
Incidentally, Arno's, the ship repair yard in Dunkerque, is also in financial trouble. Partly because they are still owed 3m Euros by Sea France for the conversion of the Moliere some years ago. The other French ship repair yard, Sobrena at Brest, is also in trouble although nothing to do with Sea France. - 26 November 2011 09:36139036Thanks Ed re the translations..yes the guys want to work. But judging what is happening in the repair yards as mentioned above, times seem very hard in shipping generally. Bound to be badly hit I suppose by the world economic downturn. But sad days though.
With Ed's shipping line DFDS(
he doesnt really own it ..or.. ) being packed out it goes to show there is still massive demand for cross channel carriers so Seafrance is being missed. The demand is there but the business modus operandi clearly needs re-calculation in order to make these ships pay. Im hoping for a Seafrance return.email: dover7@msn.com - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
26 November 2011 09:44139043i allso like to see seafrances return to the port.
- 26 November 2011 11:32139062Here is another picture of one of the abandoned Seafrance ferries... I nearly missed the ship due to sunlight on the screen. Who said these screens are an advancement over traditional eyepiece methods..but anyway..here is the Berlioz beside what looks like a grain silo or something, any suggestions that its a refugee processing plant are spurious... taken of course in Calais. All looking very still , very quiet, with nary a soul moving about...
See also the other thread on todays chaos re our delicate transport infrastructure..email: dover7@msn.com - 26 November 2011 13:32139089It is sad to see the ships tied up in Calais,had some good crossings this summer with seafrance so as PaulB has said, lets hope they can sort it ready for next summer,if we only have P&O as a way of crossing they will be able to charge us what ever they like, and thats not good.
- 26 November 2011 13:49139094I also went over on Wednesday - but a bit later than Paul. My aim as to catch he three passenger ferries together because, with the future so uncertain, we may not see this again.
Whe I saw the Calais tug on the move I thought something might be happening .... but no.
It was also nice to catch the Seaway back in the old routine - and how!.
It reminded me somewhat of a hazy day in April 2009 when all three Norfolks were in Dover harbour together. I'm trying to think of the reason why ...... Ah yes, I remember ..... it was a Seafrance strike! - 27 November 2011 01:48139191The SeaFrance Nord Pas de Calais was still in Dover when we sailed this afternoon, despite being on the Dunkerque port website schedule as due to arrive there at 1430. There is a rumour on the ferry forums that she has been arrested in Dover for non payment of port dues.
