Save SpeedFerries

victor_miller

Well I'm sure I'm not the only person who's saddened to hear that SpeedFerries have gone into administration. For those of you who dont know - SpeedFerries were the first low cost ferry operator on the English Channel and managed to half the cost of the average ticket! They will surely be missed there is still hope...

The administrators are looking for a buyer for SpeedFerries. Please helps support this fantastic ferry company and save it from evaporating into thin air. Without this compant I'm sure that the ferry prices will rise to the high level they were at before the low cost revolution.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107348775256

Thank you

Vic Miller

cullin

I,m afraid like Freddie Laker with cheap Air Travel John Bloom with washing machines Cyril Lord with carpets all the pioneers which SpeedFerries were are some how made to pay for their inovation.

Tarry

When I was asking about how long it would take to get to Ireland etc I was told about fast ferries and how uneconomic it was too run them. I think this is pretty similar.

Gavioli_UK

victor_miller wrote: »

Well I'm sure I'm not the only person who's saddened to hear that SpeedFerries have gone into administration. For those of you who dont know - SpeedFerries were the first low cost ferry operator on the English Channel and managed to half the cost of the average ticket! They will surely be missed there is still hope...

The administrators are looking for a buyer for SpeedFerries. Please helps support this fantastic ferry company and save it from evaporating into thin air. Without this compant I'm sure that the ferry prices will rise to the high level they were at before the low cost revolution.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107348775256

Thank you

Vic Miller

Comment on Radio 4 was that their business model was very weak as:-

They operated only 1 ferry and were unable to get a second one

They relied on car traffic only and a ferry company must have a mix of freight and other passengers to maintain a service all year round.

Is there a plan to make the service sustainable?

victor_miller

The admistrators are looking to sell the company as a going concern. I think it's a great opportunity if it's run properly. I dread to think how the collapse of the only low cost ferry company will affect ticket prices across the board.

grey_lady

From radio 4,

For anyone who's booked tickets with them the administrators are saying to hang onto your tickets and check the website for updates - but crossing are cancelled this weekend.

If you've booked tickets costing more than £100 on your credit card and you dont get your money back or your crossing then your credit card will refund you.

MrSmartprice

We have used Speedferries several times without any problems and it is a real shame they are in this situation. They really deserved to succeed, yet they faced constant hostility and dirty tricks from the other ferry companies, even suffering from things like ferries blocking their dock at Dover so they couldn't get in or out.

The irony is that the port of Boulogne will suffer too, as Speedferries were the only cross channel service using the port. Boulogne is a much more pleasant place than Calais and we have a couple of favourite restaurants there which will not be quite so accessible without SpeedOne!

ferryenthusiast

The situation Speedferries are now in is entirely of their own making, sorry to be so blunt.

Boulogne will not suffer from this as LD Lines are starting in July 09 with a one ship service, confirmed. In a press release from LD Lines they state they will look at a second ship also now that Speedferries have failed. They also mention that back in July Speedferries approached LD Lines with a proposal for LD Lines to basically bail them out. Speedferries in the end declined this as LD Lines stated that the fast cat would have to go. Press release below.

" [FONT=&quot]Pierre Gehanne has stated in the French press that he believes
SpeedFerries simply wasn't economically viable. He has also stated that
it is rather hard to hear of Curt Stavis' claims of LD Line receiving
more favourable treatment from the Boulogne port authorities when
firstly they aren't and secondly their service hasn't even begun yet.

He also reveals that Curt Stavis asked LD to rescue the company in July
and that LD could have had a controlling interest (I understand 51%
share) in the company for 1 million Euro (no doubt taking on their
liabilities too). It seems the company was already dying and LD offered
to go into partnership amalgamating the Speedferries operation with the
planned LD Line route. The catamaran would have been withdrawn and a
second conventional ferry provided. Three days later Curt said yes but
only if they kept the catamaran.

This meant no deal as LD Line do not believe in catamarans stating they
use too much fuel and believe that the route is only viable with mixed
freight and passengers.

Pierre Gehanne cites the high oil prices of recent times as killing
SpeedFerries, stating that such a small firm does not have the resources
to deal such events.

Interestingly the French subsidiary (employing 14) is not yet in
administration but is expected to follow.

Source La Voix Du Nord"[/FONT]

With reference to the dirty tricks that you mentioned, nothing was ever proved. When a ferry is 15 minutes from departure they alert the port control who then schedule a slot for them to leave. They then have to confirm again at 5 minutes and again when all secure. Remember also that Speedferries used Berth 1, the most exposed berth at Dover and also the only berth of its kind at Dover. The only ferry in operation by P&O, Seafrance or Norfolkline that is able to use this berth entered service this year long after Speedferries had moved to the Eastern Docks.

itsnever2lateisit?

sorry to be pedantic ferryenthusiast, but they moved from Eastern to Western Docks, where Hoverspeed used to operate from.

I am not even sure that the LD plan is viable either. A conventional ferry will take 2 hours, 45 mins longer than to Calais which is only 20 mins up the road. They will also share the same awful facilities at Eastern Docks.

If anything Speedferries should have been a more expensive service than it was, given the time advantage it offered, rather like the Tunnel

ferryenthusiast

Duh, yeah sorry Eastern to Western Docks....

Currently the sailings out of Dover are running at (not counting Speedferries):

Dunkerque - 2hours
Calais - 1hr 30 mins
Boulogne - 1hr 45mins (proposed by LD Lines)

LD Lines are well connected freight wise so I think yes they will be viable as freight is what pays the way for cars etc to have the low prices we all enjoy.

macca73

Ferryenthusiast, are you LD Line's PR contact? If so, let me have their HR contact as a team of around 200 dedicated and experienced staff would love to have it.

Regarding your comment that SpeedFerries are to blame for this situation, correction, the Directors of SpeedFerries are to blame for this situation. Sorry to be pedantic.