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Latest Ferry NewsThe latest ferry news for March 2005 is below:
P&O Ferries Calais service updateDate: 15 Mar 2005Source: P&O Ferries We regret to advise that repairs to a loading ramp by the port of Calais may cause severe disruption to P&O services on Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th March 2005. Passengers are advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary on these days as delays could result in journey times of up to 14 hours on some sailings. To ammend bookings please call P&O Ferries on 08705 20 20 20 P&O Ferries is unable to accommodate day trip traffic for all new bookings up to and including the 4th April 2005. For the latest update please call the P&O Ferries information line on 0871 2002 444 Dover UpdateDate: 15 Mar 2005Source: Port of Dover Due to berthing availability at the Port of Calais being severely restricted, P&O Ferries expect severe disruptions to their services until Wednesday. These delays could result in journey times of up to 14 hours. They advise passengers not to travel unless necessary, and have suspended all daytrip traffic. SeaFrance have berthing slots in Calais for 10 departures a day, which are operating with minimal delays. All passengers are advised to contact their operator for more detailed information. Although there are ongoing problems and restrictions at the Port of Calais, the Port of Dunkerque is operating normally and Norfolkline's Dover - Dunkerque services continue to accept all excursion traffic, including day trips subject to availability. SpeedFerries’ sailings, from the Eastern Docks to Boulogne, are on time with space. Hoverspeed fastcraft services, from the Hoverport to Calais, are due to resume on the 17th March. Up to 14 hour delays - Dover to CalaisDate: 14 Mar 2005Source: BBC News The closure of a port berth at Calais for repairs has led to warnings of delays of up to 14 hours on sailings. P&O has laid off two ships and is operating four, the company said. "We are shuttling ferries back and forth and trying to keep delays to a minimum. If you have to travel, expect big delays," spokesman Brian Rees said. SeaFrance said 10 of its 15 crossings would be unaffected and SpeedFerries said its Dover-Boulogne service was sailing according to schedule. P&O has asked passengers to contact the firm to make arrangements to travel at other times. The berth now under repair at Calais was damaged when a loading bay collapsed at the port last month, leaving the port with only two berths big enough for large cross-Channel ferries. Last week, P&O warned that its services from Dover would be subject to more delays and cancellations for three days. Ferries were also disrupted by a 24-hour national strike in France last week. Sea France Calais service UpdateDate: 14 Mar 2005Source: Sea France SeaFrance is pleased to confirm that the SeaFrance Manet and the SeaFrance Renoir are operating a normal schedule of 10 return crossings per day between Dover and Calais. Due to their exclusive use of berth 3, they are unaffected by the shortage of other berths in Calais. Other SeaFrance services may be subject to some minor delays due to limited berthing in Calais following the incident on Tuesday 8th February and while safety checks are carried out on the other berths. Ferry Users warned of more Cross Channel DelaysDate: 12 Mar 2005Source: BBC News Cross-channel travellers are being warned to expect further disruption next week following the collapse of a loading bay at Calais last month. The collapse left the port with only two berths big enough for large cross-channel ferries, one of which will be closed for repairs from Monday. P&O said its services from Dover would be subject to more delays and cancellations on Monday and Tuesday. SeaFrance said 10 of its 15 scheduled crossings would be unaffected. Its other services may be subject to some delays. It comes after French strike action caused two days of ferry disruption. No P&O or SeaFrance ferries were able to leave Dover from Wednesday afternoon until Thursday evening due to the 24-hour French national strike. The ferry service between Dover and Calais has been badly disrupted since the loading bay collapse in early February. There are regular delays of between two and four hours for passengers heading to Calais and lorry traffic through the port has been badly affected. P&O said the disruption had cost the company millions and it would be seeking compensation from the Port of Calais. Catamaran crossing William Gibbons, head of the Passenger Shipping Association, said the hold-ups were not good news for the industry. "All our customers have been inconvenienced," he said. "Luckily it has happened at a time of year when passenger traffic is relatively low. "We do see it as a temporary problem which will be resolved shortly." Hoverspeed's catamaran crossing, which resumes on Wednesday after the winter break, uses a different terminal so should be unaffected. Ferries resume following StrikeDate: 11 Mar 2005Source: BBC News P&O and SeaFrance ferries are sailing between Dover and Calais again after the end of a national French union strike that disrupted services. No P&O or SeaFrance vessels had left the Kent port since Wednesday afternoon because of the 24-hour strike. The first ferries departed on Thursday evening as the industrial action came to an end. The action has seen a backlog of lorries parked on the M20 as Operation Stack was implemented by Kent Police. Berth damaged The operation uses the coastbound carriageway of the motorway between junctions 11 and 12 for lorries to park while they wait to cross the Channel. It was put in place overnight between Wednesday and Thursday and again during Thursday afternoon and evening. Kent Police called in officers from Surrey and Essex to cope with traffic problems caused by Operation Stack. P&O spokesperson Brian Rees said he hoped there would be no significant traffic backlog after the strike ends, because some of the waiting freight was sent over to Zeebrugge. All the main French trade unions were taking part in a 24-hour strike to protest against government economic reforms. The Freight Transport Association said the action would cost freight companies about £1m. Cross-Channel travellers have been hit by other disruption recently after a berth at Calais was damaged. Further delays are now expected on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week when one of Calais' large berths is closed for repairs, leaving only one working berth for all large cross-Channel ferries. More ferry disruptions for DoverDate: 9 Mar 2005Source: BBC News Ferry services from Dover to Calais face more delays as a French transport union strikes over working hours. The port of Calais will be shut for 24 hours from 2200 GMT on Wednesday. P&O ferries were suspended from 1640 GMT while the last SeaFrance sailings left Dover at 1700 GMT for tourist and freight and 1740 GMT for freight. Kent Police say there will be "a considerable backlog of freight traffic" so Operation Stack could be in force on the M20. Motorway closure Phase one involves closing the M20 coastbound between junction 11 at Hythe and 12 at Folkestone and using it as a car park for lorries. Police believe they may also have to bring in phase two, which means closing the motorway between junction eight at Leeds Castle and nine at Ashford. Where the road is closed any non-freight cross-Channel traffic is diverted onto the A20, but if the backlog remains after the end of the industrial action in Calais then Operation Stack could continue throughout Thursday and into Friday. Hoverspeed Newhaven Dieppe service to cease operationDate: 3 Mar 2005Source: Hoverspeed Cross Channel fast ferry operator Hoverspeed today confirmed that Transmanche Ferries has withdrawn from negotiations regarding the future operation of the Newhaven to Dieppe route. Managing Director Geoffrey Ede, said “We have been in discussions for some time regarding the charter by Transmanche of the SuperSeacat vessel to be manned by Hoverspeed crew. It is disappointing for us, but more importantly our passengers that negotiations have broken down. The service which was scheduled to restart on 28 April will not now operate and the craft will be redeployed”. Mr Ede said that the company will contact all passengers who have booked on the route and assign them to crossings on other Hoverspeed services. “Taking care of our passengers is our first priority” said Geoffrey Ede. Hoverspeed started the summer seasonal service on the Newhaven to Dieppe route in 1999 when P&O Stena Line pulled out. Calais UpdateDate: 2 Mar 2005Source: Sea France Dover Calais: There are still severe delays in Dover, currently running at approximately 4 hours and it is anticipated this will remain for the time being. Due to the need for vessels to wait for an available berth in Calais, the crossing time is also taking considerably longer than scheduled. Calais - Dover: There are now severe delays on embarkation from the port of Calais, currently running at approximately 4 hours, but once the vessel leaves the port the crossing times are unaffected. Lowest ever fares from Dover - Calais - £30 each way!Date: 1 Mar 2005Source: P&O Ferries With more sailings than anyone else, enjoy great service and great sea views on P&O Dover to Calais ferries from only £30 each way. That's only £60 return for a car and up to nine passengers. This new price covers travel throughout the year, so you and your family can take your car to the Continent for a fortnight or more in peak season. That's less than the cost of parking a car for a week at many UK airports! Simply choose from the below sailing times and stay away as long as you like! And remember - this price includes port taxes for every person and there are NO baggage limits. A return journey must be made on the specified sailings in order to qualify for this offer. This fare is available if you book by 11 April for travel throughout 2005. Book today as there are limited tickets on this offer and they are going fast! Valid for Dover Departures: 08:15 11:15 14:40 18:10 21:50 And Calais Departures: 10:05 14:20 17:45 20:40 00:20 Why not pay just £10 per person for an upgrade to the Club Lounge where a personal shopper service is available? Click here to book now |
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