Spain has imposed new maritime safety obligations on ferry services between the country’s North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla and its southern ports of Almeria and Malaga. Ferry operator Acciona Trasmediterr-ánea will have to use ferries aged no older than 15 years and provide daily services to Ceuta and Melilla as from 1 October. The privately owned company will be fined if it fails to meet the new maritime safety obligations. For the first time in Spanish maritime history, Acciona Trasmediterranea will be obliged to employ private security guards and a doctor on vessels to Melilla. A Spanish government representative in Melilla said he believed Madrid wanted security guards on ferries to control rowdy behaviour during crossings. He dismissed any suggestion that the move was related to bomb threats or the presence of North African stowaways. Both Acciona Trasmediterránea and Spain’s merchant marine authority have refused to comment on the new regulations. Acciona Trasmediterránea will have to set a maximum tariff levels for passengers and vehicles that are linked to annual inflation and fuel rates. Spain awarded Acciona Trasmediterr-ánea the €41.64M ($53M) public tender to operate ferry services from Algeciras, Almeria and Malaga to Ceuta and Melilla for a five-year period.

The prospect of having one and possibly two fast ferry services operating from Dover following the demise of Hoverspeed appears very much in doubt, with the end of the peak summer season fast approaching. Euroferrys, the company led by former Hoverspeed executive Geoffrey Ede, has still not finalised the $29M acquisition of the ferry Spirit of Ontario, despite agreeing to purchase the vessel some time ago. The company also negotiated a lease on the Hoverport facility. However, a spokesman for Dover Harbour Board told Fairplay today that “The signed agreement has not yet been returned and the deadline has passed so the facility is still available.” In a statement earlier this week, Euroferrys’ Adrian Gillian indicated that the company is planning to purchase a second catamaran as well as ordering a third from builder Austal. Nothing has been heard for some time from Navmed, the second potential operator that emerged.

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The buyer of a fast ferry continues to keep details about its financial ability to purchase the ship private. Euroferries Ltd has also not disclosed when it plans to close on the $29.8 million deal.

French fishermen have agreed to lift their blockade of a Greenpeace ship off the southern port of Marseille.

A Campaign is growing to get the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to probe 'expensive' ferry prices between the mainland and Isle of Wight.

Channel Tunnel services resumed at 16:00 today following earlier delays. More than 300 trains including Eurotunnel Shuttles, freight trains and the Eurostar passenger train will now return to normal operation.

Thirty-four people had to be led to safety following a fire on a lorry being carried on board a freight train in the Channel Tunnel.

Ferries are proving an overflow option for all the airline passengers that have suffered cancelled flights, especially those on shorthaul flights into Europe, which have suffered the brunt of cancellations. The fact that the security level for ferries has not changed may also provide passengers with some reassurance.

Newly privatised French Mediterranean ferry operator SNCM has seen its long-time partner Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation quit to join forces with rival Corsica Ferries.

If you're already planning a journey for 2007 from the UK to Scandinavia or Holland then read on...

Greece's Attica Group has pledged to continue operating its service between Scotland and Belgium in spite of the sale of the 2002-built Superfast X , the ship currently providing the link.

Six potential buyers are currently working on their final bids for Danish ferry operator Scandlines.

French ferry operator SNCM will bid alone – without long-time partner CMN – for the public service concession governing ferry routes from France to Corsica in a tender due to close on 4 August. SNCM was expected to bid jointly with CMN ('La Méridionale') but the latter has decided also to go its own way. The separation, which had been the subject of rumour for some time, has brought "regrets" on the SNCM side and "concern" from CMN.

Irish Ferries has started a battle with the low-cost airlines in a major tug-of-war for customers.

A blind woman has celebrated her 75th birthday by taking the helm of an Irish Sea passenger ferry for part of its crossing from Wales to Ireland.

Interest in the takeover of French cross-Channel ferry operator Transmanche Ferries is growing significantly as the deadline for offers was expected to close at the end of July. The latest reported interest comes from Veolia Transport, which recently took a 28% stake in SNCM and is expected to take full control of the Marseilles-based company in the long run.