Observers of the cross-channel ferry scene between the UK and France will have been somewhat confused of late by major changes to the fleet and service patterns of relative newcomer LD Lines. A few weeks ago the French operator said that it would be transferring its conventional passenger freight ferry Norman Voyager from its Portsmouth-Le Havre service to a new service linking Cherbourg with Rosslare in Ireland. Almost immediately LD Lines then announced that it was chartering the vessel to rival operator Celtic Link Ferries for its new service between Portsmouth and Cherbourg during the week, and Cherbourg-Rosslare at weekends! But that’s not all. The French ferry operator’s conventional ferry Norman Spirit will switch from her regular Portsmouth-Le Havre run this November to operate between Dover and Boulogne because the brand new fast ferry Norman Arrow on the run can’t offer enough freight capacity. Norman Arrow, meanwhile, is to lay-up before starting a new six month seasonal service (Easter-September) between Portsmouth and Le Havre. All understood?
Meanwhile, still on the cross-channel ferry scene, UK operator Euroferries, which has been saying that it is to start a high speed passenger/vehicle ferry service across the Dover Straits for the past five years or so, claims that its new Ramsgate (UK)-Boulogne (France) service begins on 19 October. Don’t hold your breath!
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Showing posts with label LD Lines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LD Lines. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
LD Lines in major fleet shake-up
French cross-channel ferry operator LD Lines is currently involved in a major fleet/route shake up programme involving its services between the UK and France and France and Ireland. Following LD Lines announcement that it was to use its Norman Voyager full time on its new service between Cherbourg (France) and Rosslare (Republic of Ireland), quickly came the news that this wasn’t to be and that the 2008-built Norman Voyager had been chartered to rival ferry operator Celtic Link Ferries which will use the vessel on its new daily service during the week linking the south coast UK port of Portsmouth with Cherbourg, and using the vessel on the company’s existing Cherbourg-Rosslare run at weekends.
The new service between Portsmouth and Cherbourg was to have started on 29 September, but Norman Voyager sustained a mysterious hole in her hull while berthed in Rosslare and had to undertake an emergency drydocking at A&P Falmouth to rectify this problems. The new service is expected to start the week beginning 5 October.
Meanwhile, LD Lines has announced major fleet changes for 2010 including the introduction of a conventional ferry on its Dover-Boulogne service.
From early November 2009 the conventional ferry Norman Spirit will transfer from its current Portsmouth-Le Havre route to commence operations on the French operators’ Dover-Boulogne service, considerably increasing freight and tourist traffic capacity. The high speed Incat wave-piercing catamaran Norman Arrow, which began operating Dover-Boulogne in June this year, will switch to the Portsmouth-Le Havre route in 2010, starting a six month seasonal operation between Easter and September and offering a crossing time of just three hours and 15 minutes. Norman Arrow will operate alongside the year-round conventional ferry Cote d’Albatre.
Norman Spirit will operate four return sailings daily between Dover and Boulogne and is capable of carrying 1,850 passengers, 700 cars and 110 freight vehicles. The conventional ferry is being introduced on the Dover-Boulogne service because the fast ferry Norman Arrow cannot provide sufficient freight capacity.
LD Lines managing director Christophe Santoni said: ‘We remain convinced that the freight and tourist traffic high speed ferry concept can ultimately work across the Dover Straits and we will be continuing a dialogue with the shipbuilders regarding the next generation of fast ferries, incorporating improvements that we see as vital.’ These include not only offering a fast crossing time, but also fast berthing and the loading and discharge of vehicles. Sphere: Related Content
The new service between Portsmouth and Cherbourg was to have started on 29 September, but Norman Voyager sustained a mysterious hole in her hull while berthed in Rosslare and had to undertake an emergency drydocking at A&P Falmouth to rectify this problems. The new service is expected to start the week beginning 5 October.
Meanwhile, LD Lines has announced major fleet changes for 2010 including the introduction of a conventional ferry on its Dover-Boulogne service.
From early November 2009 the conventional ferry Norman Spirit will transfer from its current Portsmouth-Le Havre route to commence operations on the French operators’ Dover-Boulogne service, considerably increasing freight and tourist traffic capacity. The high speed Incat wave-piercing catamaran Norman Arrow, which began operating Dover-Boulogne in June this year, will switch to the Portsmouth-Le Havre route in 2010, starting a six month seasonal operation between Easter and September and offering a crossing time of just three hours and 15 minutes. Norman Arrow will operate alongside the year-round conventional ferry Cote d’Albatre.
Norman Spirit will operate four return sailings daily between Dover and Boulogne and is capable of carrying 1,850 passengers, 700 cars and 110 freight vehicles. The conventional ferry is being introduced on the Dover-Boulogne service because the fast ferry Norman Arrow cannot provide sufficient freight capacity.
LD Lines managing director Christophe Santoni said: ‘We remain convinced that the freight and tourist traffic high speed ferry concept can ultimately work across the Dover Straits and we will be continuing a dialogue with the shipbuilders regarding the next generation of fast ferries, incorporating improvements that we see as vital.’ These include not only offering a fast crossing time, but also fast berthing and the loading and discharge of vehicles. Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
LD Lines to start new Cherbourg-Rosslare service
French cross-channel ferry operator LD Lines is to introduce a new direct Irish Republic-France service between Rosslare and Cherbourg from 19 September 2009, replacing the company’s existing Rosslare-Le Havre service which started in November 2008.
By moving the French port in the service to Cherbourg LD Lines will be able to offer an increased service frequency, due to shorter crossing times. The move is also being made to capitalise on the greater capacity available particularly for freight traffic via the port of Cherbourg, which is already a popular destination with the tourist market travelling directly from Southern Ireland.
LD Lines’ 800 passenger, 200 car and up to 120 freight vehicle capacity Norman Voyager will be moved from her existing Portsmouth-Le Havre run to operate the new service, providing six return sailings each week, with a crossing time of 17 hours, compared to the previous 22 hours from Le Havre.
Replacing Norman Voyager on the Portsmouth-Le Havre run will be the LD Lines/Transmanche Ferries’ Cote d’Albatre. Sphere: Related Content
By moving the French port in the service to Cherbourg LD Lines will be able to offer an increased service frequency, due to shorter crossing times. The move is also being made to capitalise on the greater capacity available particularly for freight traffic via the port of Cherbourg, which is already a popular destination with the tourist market travelling directly from Southern Ireland.
LD Lines’ 800 passenger, 200 car and up to 120 freight vehicle capacity Norman Voyager will be moved from her existing Portsmouth-Le Havre run to operate the new service, providing six return sailings each week, with a crossing time of 17 hours, compared to the previous 22 hours from Le Havre.
Replacing Norman Voyager on the Portsmouth-Le Havre run will be the LD Lines/Transmanche Ferries’ Cote d’Albatre. Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
LD Lines boss blasts SeaFrance’s unions for ‘attack’ on British flag ships
French cross-channel ferry operator LD Lines has issued a scathing response against SeaFrance (CFDT) unions for their latest demonstration against British Flag vessels operating on the recently introduced fast ferry service between Dover and Boulogne and other LD Line’s cross-channel ferry routes.
SeaFrance (CFDT) unions have twice recently, but unsuccessfully, attempted to disrupt tourist and freight traffic travelling to and from the Port of Boulogne, with demonstrations against the British Flag fast ferry Norman Arrow.
LD Lines managing director Christophe Santoni said: ‘The latest behaviour of SeaFrance (CFDT) unions is totally irresponsible by claiming the British Flag to be a ‘Flag of Convenience.’ This totally discredits and work and representation of the two English unions – RMT and Nautilus – the very unions with whom the salaries of crew on our British Flag vessels have been negotiated and approved.
‘We are a company that believes in free and unrestricted competition and find the attitude of the SeaFrance (CFDT) unions utterly disgraceful and totally misguided. These are the same unions who have been instrumental in creating the dire financial situation over many years that their own company, SeaFrance, finds itself in today, and are now trying to deflect their own created problems as being caused by LD Lines, as the newest operator across the Dover Straits.’
LD Lines has confirmed that any further attempt to disrupt ferry services between Dover and Boulogne will not remain unpunished and the company will exercise its right to take legal action against those responsible.
‘LD Lines parent company, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, is France’s largest employer of French officers. The company therefore does not accept any kind of judgment with the fact that we operate some of our ferries trading between the UK and France under the British Flag,’ added Santoni.
‘British customers represent more than 80% of our passengers and we are certain that they and many others who make up the overall cross channel tourist and freight market, which is also around 80%-2-% UK to France traffic, will have their own opinions of the SeaFrance (CFDT) unions and their latest anti-British Flag attempted action. These are the very customers who will ultimately choose with whom they prefer to cross the channel.’ Sphere: Related Content
SeaFrance (CFDT) unions have twice recently, but unsuccessfully, attempted to disrupt tourist and freight traffic travelling to and from the Port of Boulogne, with demonstrations against the British Flag fast ferry Norman Arrow.
LD Lines managing director Christophe Santoni said: ‘The latest behaviour of SeaFrance (CFDT) unions is totally irresponsible by claiming the British Flag to be a ‘Flag of Convenience.’ This totally discredits and work and representation of the two English unions – RMT and Nautilus – the very unions with whom the salaries of crew on our British Flag vessels have been negotiated and approved.
‘We are a company that believes in free and unrestricted competition and find the attitude of the SeaFrance (CFDT) unions utterly disgraceful and totally misguided. These are the same unions who have been instrumental in creating the dire financial situation over many years that their own company, SeaFrance, finds itself in today, and are now trying to deflect their own created problems as being caused by LD Lines, as the newest operator across the Dover Straits.’
LD Lines has confirmed that any further attempt to disrupt ferry services between Dover and Boulogne will not remain unpunished and the company will exercise its right to take legal action against those responsible.
‘LD Lines parent company, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, is France’s largest employer of French officers. The company therefore does not accept any kind of judgment with the fact that we operate some of our ferries trading between the UK and France under the British Flag,’ added Santoni.
‘British customers represent more than 80% of our passengers and we are certain that they and many others who make up the overall cross channel tourist and freight market, which is also around 80%-2-% UK to France traffic, will have their own opinions of the SeaFrance (CFDT) unions and their latest anti-British Flag attempted action. These are the very customers who will ultimately choose with whom they prefer to cross the channel.’ Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Good start to Norman Arrows’ Dover-Boulogne service
French cross channel ferry operator LD Lines new high speed ferry Norman Arrow has had a good first week in service after her maiden voyage on 6 June, with extremely encouraging load factors, Norman Arrow is a 112m wave-piercing catamaran from Tasmania’s Incat and is the largest ever fast ferry to operate on the cross channel ferry routes between England and France.
The 40 knot vessel is also the world’s largest diesel-powered catamaran, the first 112m Incat to operate in Europe and the first ever freight carrying high speed vessel to operate across the Dover Straits.
Norman Arrow can carry 1,200 passengers, 417 cars or a combination of up to 30 freight vehicles and 195 cars. The ability to carry freight was the main reason behind LD Lines entering the fast ferry market. Crossing time between Dover and Boulogne is just one hour, with four return sailings being provided daily.
LD Line’s first fast ferry is on a long term charter from her owners, London-based Montrose Global Capital LLP (MGC), with the French company having a purchase option to acquire the ferry at any time over the next 10 years. LD Lines managing director Christophe Santoni told ‘Off Radar’ that the company was looking at a second 112m Incat for the Dover-Boulogne run and a decision on a second vessel would be made after ‘fine tuning’ the existing product. He is also interested in Incat’s latest 125m design and this could possibly be the vessel that could be introduced on a talked-about fast ferry route between Portsmouth and Le Havre. LD Lines already operates two conventional ferries on this route. Sphere: Related Content
The 40 knot vessel is also the world’s largest diesel-powered catamaran, the first 112m Incat to operate in Europe and the first ever freight carrying high speed vessel to operate across the Dover Straits.
Norman Arrow can carry 1,200 passengers, 417 cars or a combination of up to 30 freight vehicles and 195 cars. The ability to carry freight was the main reason behind LD Lines entering the fast ferry market. Crossing time between Dover and Boulogne is just one hour, with four return sailings being provided daily.
LD Line’s first fast ferry is on a long term charter from her owners, London-based Montrose Global Capital LLP (MGC), with the French company having a purchase option to acquire the ferry at any time over the next 10 years. LD Lines managing director Christophe Santoni told ‘Off Radar’ that the company was looking at a second 112m Incat for the Dover-Boulogne run and a decision on a second vessel would be made after ‘fine tuning’ the existing product. He is also interested in Incat’s latest 125m design and this could possibly be the vessel that could be introduced on a talked-about fast ferry route between Portsmouth and Le Havre. LD Lines already operates two conventional ferries on this route. Sphere: Related Content
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
LD Lines to introduce 112m wave-piercing ferry on Dover-Boulogne service
French ferry operator LD Lines will start operations of the largest fast ferry to run on the cross-channel route between the UK and France at the end of May. The Incat 112m ferry Norman Arrow has been long term bareboat chartered from London-based MGC Chartering, with a purchase option,
The fast ferry will be the first ever freight carrying high speed vessel to operate across the Dover Straits and LD Lines becomes the first French ferry company to operate fast ferries on the short sea routes from Dover.
At nearly 11,000grt the 40 knot Norman Arrow is the world’s largest diesel powered catamaran and will provide significantly greater sea-keeping qualities and passenger comfort than earlier generation fast ferries operating from Dover. With a passenger capacity of 1,200 and the ability to carry up to 417 cars or 195 cars and 30 freight vehicles, LD Lines new fast ferry will make four return trips per day between Dover (Eastern Docks) and Boulogne from 29 May, with a crossing time of just one hour.
The introduction of the Norman Arrow is a major development for LD Lines, further emphasising the strategy of the French company to firmly establish its business on the cross channel routes from Dover, as managing Director, Christophe Santoni explains: ‘This is a very exciting, innovative step forward for LD Lines and with the introduction of this new high speed ferry, we will be dramatically revolutionising ferry transport across the channel, with a style of service never experienced before on the Dover Straits. We will be offering a unique, combined high speed and conventional ferry sailing frequency via the Boulogne service, providing great appeal and choice, to meet the demands of tourists and freight customers and create new markets.’
LD Lines told ‘Off Radar’ that it was very likely that the company would be adding further high speed vessels to its services in the near future.
With the introduction of the new fast ferry on the Dover-Boulogne run, LD Line’s conventional ferry Norman Spirit will remain on the company’s Portsmouth-Le Havre service and not move to Dover as originally planned. Sphere: Related Content
The fast ferry will be the first ever freight carrying high speed vessel to operate across the Dover Straits and LD Lines becomes the first French ferry company to operate fast ferries on the short sea routes from Dover.
At nearly 11,000grt the 40 knot Norman Arrow is the world’s largest diesel powered catamaran and will provide significantly greater sea-keeping qualities and passenger comfort than earlier generation fast ferries operating from Dover. With a passenger capacity of 1,200 and the ability to carry up to 417 cars or 195 cars and 30 freight vehicles, LD Lines new fast ferry will make four return trips per day between Dover (Eastern Docks) and Boulogne from 29 May, with a crossing time of just one hour.
The introduction of the Norman Arrow is a major development for LD Lines, further emphasising the strategy of the French company to firmly establish its business on the cross channel routes from Dover, as managing Director, Christophe Santoni explains: ‘This is a very exciting, innovative step forward for LD Lines and with the introduction of this new high speed ferry, we will be dramatically revolutionising ferry transport across the channel, with a style of service never experienced before on the Dover Straits. We will be offering a unique, combined high speed and conventional ferry sailing frequency via the Boulogne service, providing great appeal and choice, to meet the demands of tourists and freight customers and create new markets.’
LD Lines told ‘Off Radar’ that it was very likely that the company would be adding further high speed vessels to its services in the near future.
With the introduction of the new fast ferry on the Dover-Boulogne run, LD Line’s conventional ferry Norman Spirit will remain on the company’s Portsmouth-Le Havre service and not move to Dover as originally planned. Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
LD Lines to start new Dover services mid-February
The recent demise of low-cost fast ferry operator SpeedFerries and its Dover (UK)-Boulogne (France) service has allowed French cross-channel ferry operator LD Lines to start its new Dover-Boulogne service almost six month earlier than scheduled.
LD Lines will now start operations from Dover on 12 February, with new services linking Dover-Boulogne and Dover-Dieppe. The company will be using two conventional passenger/car/freight ferries on the new services, the 2006-built sisterships Cote d’Albatre and Seven Sisters. Both of these vessels currently operate on the Newhaven-Dieppe route under the Transmanche Ferries brand, which is part of the LD Lines ferry network. Cote d’Albatre and Seven Sisters can each carry 600 passengers and 300 cars, or 52 freight vehicles, or a combined of cars and freight.
Operating from Dover’s Eastern Docks, the new Boulogne service will use the existing berth in the French port previously used by SpeedFerries. ‘We can clearly identify the strong commercial opportunities for a direct ferry link to be re-established between Dover and Boulogne following the departure of the previous operator and our research shows the demand is there from tourist passengers and freight customers, to bring forward the start of the service,’ said LD Lines’ managing director, Christophe Santoni. ‘A profitable ferry service must rely on a combination of passenger and freight business and by introducing a conventional ship to operate between Dover, Boulogne and Dieppe, both freight and tourist markets will have an extensive choice across our expanded route newtwork, said Mr. Santoni.
From 12 February, up to two return sailings a day will be provided between Dover and Boulogne, with a crossing time of 1hr 45 mins. One round-trip a day will operate between Dover and Dieppe, with a crossing time of 4hr 15 mins.
With construction of the Port of Boulogne’s new Hub Port Ro-Ro Terminal well advanced, as planned LD Lines will be inaugurating the new berth facilities with the addition of a second ship on the Dover route from 1 July this year. Sailing frequency between Dover and Boulogne will then increase from two to six return sailings daily. Sphere: Related Content
LD Lines will now start operations from Dover on 12 February, with new services linking Dover-Boulogne and Dover-Dieppe. The company will be using two conventional passenger/car/freight ferries on the new services, the 2006-built sisterships Cote d’Albatre and Seven Sisters. Both of these vessels currently operate on the Newhaven-Dieppe route under the Transmanche Ferries brand, which is part of the LD Lines ferry network. Cote d’Albatre and Seven Sisters can each carry 600 passengers and 300 cars, or 52 freight vehicles, or a combined of cars and freight.
Operating from Dover’s Eastern Docks, the new Boulogne service will use the existing berth in the French port previously used by SpeedFerries. ‘We can clearly identify the strong commercial opportunities for a direct ferry link to be re-established between Dover and Boulogne following the departure of the previous operator and our research shows the demand is there from tourist passengers and freight customers, to bring forward the start of the service,’ said LD Lines’ managing director, Christophe Santoni. ‘A profitable ferry service must rely on a combination of passenger and freight business and by introducing a conventional ship to operate between Dover, Boulogne and Dieppe, both freight and tourist markets will have an extensive choice across our expanded route newtwork, said Mr. Santoni.
From 12 February, up to two return sailings a day will be provided between Dover and Boulogne, with a crossing time of 1hr 45 mins. One round-trip a day will operate between Dover and Dieppe, with a crossing time of 4hr 15 mins.
With construction of the Port of Boulogne’s new Hub Port Ro-Ro Terminal well advanced, as planned LD Lines will be inaugurating the new berth facilities with the addition of a second ship on the Dover route from 1 July this year. Sailing frequency between Dover and Boulogne will then increase from two to six return sailings daily. Sphere: Related Content
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