Posts Tagged “France”
Posted by ferry in Brittany Ferries, Ferries, tags: Bilbao, bilbao portsmouth, Brittany, Brittany Ferries, caen portsmouth, central English Channel, channel, channel crossings, cherbourg, cherbourg poole, Cork, cross channel, cross channel ferries, England, ferry, ferry company, France, Ireland, ireland cork, Plymouth, portsmouth, Roskoff, Santander, santander plymouth, spain, spain bilbao, st malo
Posted by ferry in Dover Calais Ferry, Ferry News, tags: Board, Calais, dfds, Dover, Elphicke, Ferries, ferry, France, NorfolkLine, Opco, PDCT, seafrance
Is there any news about the Dover Harbour Board proposal to privatise the Port of Dover ?
The last I heard, the scheme was under consideration by Her Majesty’s government with a view to agreeing to the sell off. The problem is that the three Dover Calais Ferry operators, P&O Ferries, SeaFrance and NorfolkLine seem to be in dispute with the Harbour board over the increased harbour fees, and also there is a loose kind of proposal from the Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke which he calls the “People’s Port” and has been criticised by the previous Labour Party MP Gwyn Prosser.
P&O Ferries have written to the UK’s Secretary of State for Transport looking for clarification on the matter.
P&O are not the only shipping line to be concerned by the board’s plans as Norfolkline, SeaFrance and DFDS have also raised the issue on a number of occasions. P&O Ferries CEO Helen Deeble said:
DHB’s proposal is that Opco [the board’s wholly-owned subsidiary as a company limited by shares] should settle a cash sum of £10 million (US$15.7m) on the Port of Dover Community Trust (PDCT), together with a further amount of cash specifically earmarked for (immediate) use to subscribe for securities of Opco having a value of £20 million at the time of sale. The latter element would be cash-neutral to Opco, as the sum contributed for the subscription would return to Opco as paid-up share capital. Opco will also undertake to enter into arrangements to make regular contributions to the PDCT in its early years, so that the PDCT will have an assured income stream during that period.
Does that throw any light on the matter?
Thought not.
P&O Ferries is looking forward to the launch of Spirit of Britain, by far the largest ferry ever designed for the Dover – Calais Ferry route.
The Spirit of Britain ferry is nearing completion prior to starting service in mid January 2011.
The operator P & O Ferries is building a pair of these new ships, the second being Spirit of France which enters service next September.
“This reflects a certain degree of confidence for the long term as the pair of ships are costing the company a cool €360 million,” said a spokesman from P & O.
 P&O Ferries New Ships for Dover Calais
There were plenty of Ferry operators at the France show 2010 at Earls Court last weekend, from 8th – 10th January.
Some great discounts were available, so for next year find out more about the France show and how to get Ferry tickets via www.thefranceshow.com
Posted by ferry in cross channel ferries, Ferries, Ferry News, Routes, tags: Brittany, Brittany Ferries, channel ferry, cherbourg, cross channel, Dorset, France, Northern Spain, poole, portsmouth, sailings, ships
Source: BBC News
A cross-Channel ferry to France which has been operating from a Dorset town for the past 17 years will be withdrawn due to declining passenger numbers.
Brittany Ferries said the Barfleur ferry between Poole and Cherbourg had been losing money since 2003 and would be taken out of service in the spring.
But the firm revealed it had bought a new £75m ferry to increase sailings from Portsmouth to northern Spain.
Poole councillor Ron Barker said the move was a blow to tourism in Dorset.
‘Totally devastated’
“Poole and Cherbourg have been twin towns for almost 30 years and it will have a cultural impact,” added Mr Parker, vice chairman of the Poole and Cherbourg management committee.
“This is [also] a bitter disappointment for the economy of both towns with a loss of tourism trade.
“We are totally devastated to lose the Barfleur – 80% of the passengers who travelled on it were from the UK.”
Stephen Tuckwell, from Brittany Ferries, said: “The new ship will operate three days a week to Cherbourg.
“We are also beefing up the number of departures from Poole to Cherbourg using the freight ships, so it is not the end of commercial operation to Cherbourg.
“But it does mean a switch from Poole to Portsmouth.”
Mr Tuckwell went on to say that the high-speed Normandie Vitesse ferry to Cherbourg had “done very well” compared to the Barfleur since its launch in 1998.
He added that “every effort” would be made to “limit the number of job losses” which “would be voluntary”.
Mr Tuckwell also indicated some of the staff could be transferred to Portsmouth to work on the additional services.
It was recently announced that the 24-year-old Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port is to be demolished in January to make way for a new £16m passenger terminal.
Posted by ferry in Routes, tags: Algeria, Barcelona, ferry operator, France, Genoa, Maghreb, Marseilles, Mediterranean, montpellier, Morocco, North Africa
Genoa based ferry operator Grandi Navi Veloci yesterday signed a contract to take over the Quai Orsetti in the port of Sète near Montpellier as a base for a new range of services between the south of France and the Maghreb, North Africa. GNV managing director Ariodante Valeri said the company was studying connections to Morocco and Algeria in particular, with a view to launching in October.
The deal with Sète marks the end of a long-running search by GNV for a French Mediterranean home for its burgeoning North African business, which it views as a key driver of future growth.
GNV had appeared destined to settle in Marseilles until soaring bunker prices put talks on hold last year. As fuel prices fell and its interest in the project resurfaced, however, Sète emerged as the favourite to be GNV’s French hub.
Mr Valeri cited its good motorway connections, its location between Marseilles and Barcelona, and the Quai Orsetti’s two berths, which can handle the 200 m long vessels it will deploy on the new routes.
He added that GNV’s arrival in Sète would also provide the region with the competition it seeks on the North African routes, which are currently served out of Sète by Comanav Comarit.
The Italian operator has launched a new company, GNV France, with two French partners specialising in cargo and passenger traffic, to handle the operation.
Mr Valeri envisaged further investment in Sète, perhaps via a stake in a future operating company in the port.
He said GNV France would focus on passenger traffic more than cargo as it seeks to build the business, and that vessels such as the 39,800 dwt Excelsior or the 35,222 dwt Fantastic , would be candidates to operate on the new routes.
Posted by ferry in Ferries, tags: british grand prix, budget, Calais, channel, daytrip, Dover, Ferries, ferry, France, loire region, longest day of the year, medieval villages, p o ferries, silverstone, summer, tournament, travel, wimbledon, wimbledon tennis championships
The 13th June is the historic Le Mans 24 hour endurance race in the Pays-de-la-Loire region of France. The race is a hugely popular event and never fails to bring in a big crowd. P&O Ferries is the perfect way to attend this prestigious race and ensure that you and your car get there in style!
The 21st June brings a host of reasons why you would want to cross the channel. Firstly, it is the longest day of the year, which means it is perfect for a daytrip! There are a number of attractions within Calais and it’s surroundings, including the pleasant medieval villages of Ardres and Bergues, which are a short drive and perfect for a long lunch.
The 21st June is also Father’s Day, and what could be a better present than a short hop to France to pick up some of France’s finest wine!
Additionally, the 21st June is the British Grand Prix. This is the biggest motoring event in British racing and attracts F1 fans from far and wide. With Silverstone being less than two and a half hours from Dover, it makes it easily accessible for anyone travelling over from the continent.
Finally, the end of June brings one of the biggest events in the global sporting calendar, and that is of course Wimbledon Tennis Championships. This iconic British tournament is widely regarded as the biggest in the world, and attracts tennis and sports enthusiasts from all over the world. Running for two weeks between the 22nd June and the 5th July, it promises sun, rain, Pimms and great tennis. Thousands of people from all over the continent come to Wimbledon, South London for the Championships, and there is no easier way to get there than by making sure you plan your journey with P&O Ferries.
As if that wasn’t enough, P&O Ferries are running a “You deserve a holiday” competition throughout June. Holidaymakers can cross the channel for £30 each way, to help make sure that the holiday budget goes that bit further.
There is the chance to win an amazing 7 day holiday with accommodation and travel. Anyone who enters the prize draw telling P&O Ferries why their friend deserves a holiday can be in with a chance of winning this great prize.
Make sure you enjoy your summer, starting with P&O Ferries and the month of June!
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Source: Maison de la France
Cross channel ferry links and rail services make France a good option for British people looking for an affordable break, according to an industry spokesman.
Jean-Pierre Courteau, director of government tourist office Maison de la France, said that the country is a “very inexpensive place to get to” for British travellers.
While he admitted that it will be difficult for the tourism industry to be profitable during the economic downturn, Mr Courteau said that the proximity of France makes it one of the most viable options for Brits travelling on a budget.
“You don’t have to fly there, you can take the ferry or the train. France gives a good opportunity to travel on a budget,” he said.
“I don’t say that we are going to profit from the crunch and the financial situation but people who are aware of not flying and travelling on a budget will come to France this year.”
Mr Courteau pointed out that, with about 11 million visitors every year, Britain is the most important source market for the French tourism industry.
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