Guest 708- Registered: 22 Dec 2010
- Posts: 102
Seafrance Nord Pas De Calais is on it's way to Dunkerque Port ETA 1500h Local
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
thanks for clearing the mystery up paul, it was here this morning and gone when i got back.
i thought either disgruntled workers had scuttled it or someone had paid the ransom.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
SeaFrance Nord Pas de Calais enroute to Dunkerque, passing at 1330 in the Dunkerque approaches.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
did you photoshop out the emissions ed?
incidentally why did it go to dunkirk?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
i did see the ship/ferry leaving dover at lunch time 12 20pm,it was making good spead at the time.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
Thanks for the imfo there Ed and the pictures, have cleared up the mystery of the missing ship
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Yesterday was the final day for an offer to materialise for SeaFrance. DFDS/LD did not make an improved offer as they feel that they would be unable to work with the CFDT union, who refused to meet them last thursday and have referred to them as predators and scoundrels.
The alternative CFDT union SCOP bid has nowhere near enough financial backing and there are no other bids on the table. Le Figaro says that the only course now is for SeaFrance to go into liquidation.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
no real surprise there, cfdt have shown no realism at any stage and seem to expect their goverment to come in like the 7th cavalry.
european competition rules ensure that could not happen.
never a good time of year to lose ones job, christmas makes it that much worse.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
unless you get a large redundensy payout to cover howard.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
As some will know I get the French stations here and OPAL TV covered a march in Calais on the last day of the open offer situation....which was the day before yesterday. I couldnt fully understand what was being said but it was a gloomy dismal march by people trying to save both their jobs and the company, although the body language of the marchers told all, ie that they knew the game was up..but are/were living in hope.
I would guess at this juncture that the companies interested in running a service between Calais and Dover will now wait for Seafrance liquidation/bankruptcy and make offers on at least two of the ships. The Rodin and Berlioz are particularly attractive vessels and very use-able on the channel...and are soon very likely to be available at bargain prices, as often happens following bankruptcy.
It would still be the preferred option that Seafrance be resurrected from extinction by some miracle, but prospects looking poor now indeed.
Guest 718- Registered: 28 Jun 2011
- Posts: 195
My understanding is that Seafrance was placed in full liquidation on Nov. 16 by the French courts, but with the proviso that no further action would be taken pending a possible better offer which of course has not materialised by the December deadline. In fact the only realistic offer has been withdrawn.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
A very sad state of affairs all round
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
The french government is going to make up the shortfall so that the woorkers cooperative (scop) can run Sea France.
http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2012/01/02/1251918-seafrance-sauvee-par-ses-salaries.html
Going through the court today.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
That is good news Andy lets hope that they agree, seafrance will be sadly missed especially this summer if not.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Interesting how they will get around EU state subsidy regs?
Will other companies object?
Watty
This is France we are talking about Paul.....
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
interesting to see how this pans out, the whole issue was over eu competition laws which were broken.
it has been mentioned somewhere on the forum that the backing from the government would be at market interest rates.
if so i find it difficult to see how they could keep up repayments.
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Indeed Bern, the reason the EU is in financial crisis.
Makes the rules, apply them to others & then ignore them for your own purposes.
Stroke the Germans consciences and then go into a great sulk when challenged.
It was ever thus.
Will P&0 fall for it? Or will their Middle East bosses call time/
Watty
Guest 722- Registered: 23 Aug 2011
- Posts: 97
It says in the article that the money could be made up by the redundancy payments that would have had to be made if the workers were laid off. Sound pretty fair.
