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The latest ferry news for July 2006 is below, please click on the title for the full story:Sea Containers completes Silja Line saleDate: 19 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds ListHeavily-indebted Sea Containers will be able to pay off around $503m of bank borrowings following the sale of Baltic ferry operator Silja that was completed today. The New York listed, London headquartered company that is in default on some loans said it has finalised the sale of Silja to Estonia's Tallink Grupp. The transaction had been announced on June 12 but was the subject of regulafory approval from the Finnish, Swedish and Estonian competition authorities that have now been granted. The consideration for the sale of Silja's core business is E450m in cash ($563m) and 5m ordinary shares in Tallink, equivalent to $22m. Corporate approval was given by Tallink shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting on June 22. The deal does not include Silja's fast ferry services from Helsinki, Finland to Tallinn, Estonia and the two SuperSeaCat ferries, which will be retained by Sea Containers and operated as a standalone business under the SuperSeaCat brand name. Sea Containers eventually expects to be a shareholder in container leasing and train operating companies, once it has completed the sale of assets to raise cash and remove the threat of bankruptcy. Grimaldi takes Tirrenia battle to BrusselsDate: 19 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds ListGenoese shipowner Aldo Grimaldi is to report Italian state-owned shipowner Tirrenia to the European Commission within the next two weeks, accusing it of violating regulations on state aid. In addition, he will petition Italy’s competition authorities to rule against the state shipping company on the issue of tariffs, charging that Tirrenia has used its subsidies illegally to finance a price war against Mr Grimaldi’s Grandi Navi Veloci. He insists that he does not object to Tirrenia’s subsidies, which he puts at €170m ($199m) for this year alone, but to their allegedly illegal use to suppress competition in some trades, notably the substantially over-tonnaged Genoa-Porto Torres route, where his large and expensively built vessels compete directly with Tirrenia’s. His decision to move ahead on both fronts follows an initial unsuccessful approach to the former Berlusconi government earlier this year. It appears to have been spurred both by Mr Grimaldi’s frustration at the failure of the new Prodi government to respond and the continuation of a destructive price war on the route that is having a significant effect on GNV’s financial performance. A Tirrenia spokeswoman declined to comment on Mr Grimaldi’s accusations. Tirrenia officials have argued in the past, however, that it is the government that establishes routes, prices and service frequency for the company and that this rigidity, allied to its public service role providing services to Italy’s many islands, makes it difficult for Tirrenia to compete against more nimble private operators. Mr Grimaldi’s latest assault on the state-owned company continues a long-running war between the two. It also comes at a time when Italy’s private shipowners as a group are pushing the new government hard for an early decision on Tirrenia’s fate once subsidies expire, in 2008 at the latest. As far as the European authorities are concerned, Mr Grimaldi charges that Tirrenia is in violation of a 2001 EC decision ordering it to “stabilise its services in general, and its service on the Genoa-Porto Torres route in particular, at 1994 levels”. Rather, Mr Grimaldi argues, Tirrenia has improved its service through the deployment of larger, faster ships. He alleges that Tirrenia had also breached EC stipulations not to build new ships or overhaul existing ones, therefore making additional unauthorised investments. He adds that the state company used the new fast super-ferries Bithnia and Janas on the Genoa-Porto Torres route, also in violation of EC orders. Alberto Rossi, a partner in the Genoa firm Conte & Giacomini and a lawyer for Mr Grimaldi, said he did not expect a decision from the EC transport directorate before the end of the year. The hope was, however, than an EC investigation now in progress would focus minds on the issue in the Italian transport ministry. In terms of Italy’s competition authorities, Mr Grimaldi will argue that Tirrenia has not asked for tariff increases since 2004 and has applied only negligible bunker surcharges, if any, this despite mounting inflation and soaring bunker costs. Instead, he charges, the company relies on mounting credit exposure and government subsidies. He also alleges that Tirrenia operates without an agreed tariff schedule for goods, allowing it to undercut GNV at will. Freight port idea to solve Isle of Wight ferry fearsDate: 19 Jul 2006 Source: Isle of Wight todayBetter co-operation between ferry companies could help solve future travel problems on the Island where services could be operating at full capacity within four years. They were among the findings of a report by transport consultants MVA, which was brought in by the IW Council to investigate the sustainability of Island ports. Among possible solutions presented to the policy commission for economy, tourism, regeneration and transport last week were inter-ticketing between ferry companies, new freight holding areas and better cycle access, while Gurnard member Cllr John Hobart suggested investigating a small freight port on the River Medina. MVA project director Tim Cuthbert said demand for ferry travel was increasing and the peak times had to be managed. "It is forecast the present vehicular ferry operations would not be able to cope with the summer peak period demands for travel in the future," he warned councillors. "By 2010 additional capacity would be needed or demand management measures would be needed to encourage more off peak travel." Mr Cuthbert suggested real time message boards could be erected on the Island and at mainland approaches to the ports warning of possible delays or availability. This could be coupled with a system of inter-ticketing with ferry companies accepting tickets for each others sailings with a system for re-embursement established. The idea was welcomed by Cllr Mike Cunningham who said: "Through ticketing used to exist on the Island and it worked then so it should be able to work now." Double berthing, with passengers and vehicles disembarking from one vessel while marshals loaded another at the same time, was also suggested as a possibility by MVA. "I understand it is something that works quite efficiently on the continent," said Mr Cuthbert. Cllr Hobart's suggestion the River Medina could be used as a route for non-urgent cargo, which could be unloaded at a small container port up-river, was described as sensible by Mr Cuthbert. "It was not something we were asked to look at so it is difficult to comment but it sounds like a sensible idea," he said. Although the four potential freight holding areas suggested by MVA had already been investigated previously, Mr Cuthbert said it was important to find a suitable site for heavy goods vehicles to wait for ferries away from the existing ports. The commission is now to invite stakeholders, including ferry companies and English Nature, to comment on the report. Spain clears Transmed takeover of EuroferrysDate: 18 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds ListSpain's competition watchdog has cleared Trasmediterranea’s takeover of rival operator Euroferrys, which was majority owned by tour operators on either side of the Strait of Gibraltar. Approval for the share buyout was rubber-stamped by the Spanish government’s Council of Ministers on Friday and hinged on commitments aimed at guaranteeing competition on hotly-contested routes between the mainland and north Africa. Trasmediterranea, owned by construction and services group Acciona, must sell shares in other companies active on passenger and cargo trades between the south of Spain and north Africa. For the next five years, the company must seek the prior approval of the Spanish competition authority, the Servicio de Defensa de la Competencia, before acquiring stakes in any such company. Trasmediterranea will also be limited to the use of one exclusive berth in the port of Ceuta, a key linchpin for services across the Strait of Gibraltar, and is prohibited from reaching exclusive agreements for the sale of tickets to north Africa. The former state-owned company must present the competition authority with a detailed plan to enable regulators to better monitor the implementation of these conditions. The takeover is not expected to impact on jobs at Euroferrys. Need to find a ferry to Morocco? Visit our Ferries to Morocco page for more information. Channel Islands - Cherbourg ferry link ‘this year’Date: 17 Jul 2006 Source: This is GuernseyA new freight and car ferry to Cherbourg and Jersey could be running by the end of the year. Jersey deputy Sean Power has gathered a collective of French and Jersey private investors to fund the operation that will cater for heavy commercials as well as private vehicles and motorcycles. Deputy Power said that the service would bring many benefits to Guernsey. ‘The freight ferry would be able to carry trucks, containers and recreational vehicles which most people have trouble getting to St Malo because of weight restrictions. We are ready to sign a contract with a ship that will be able to carry vehicles over 40 tonnes,’ he said. The freight ferry would allow islanders to travel with vehicles weighing far more than those currently allowed. The maximum length for a non-commercial vehicle on the Condor wavepiercer is 6.5m in length and 3.5 tonnes in weight. ‘Guernsey is much closer to Cherbourg than Jersey and it should take only about three hours. It may also have an impact on Guernsey in terms of waste – if we can compact the waste at source, there is a possibility we can send waste to France, so that’s another option open to Guernsey,’ said Deputy Power. Deputy Power also suggested that such a freight link with France would provide a better service to bring produce to the islands. ‘Sometimes produce looks really tired but this service could leave with fresh produce from Paris in the morning and could reach the shop shelves in Guernsey that night – I think that will be a big change for Jersey and Guernsey,’ he said. Deputy Commerce and Employment minister Carla McNulty Bauer welcomed such a service for the island but believed non-commercial capacity would be limited. ‘I would say it’s an interesting concept for alternative routes to and from France. As a private enterprise they will obviously need to carry out research to ensure viability and sustainability and I understand it does have limited passenger capacity and is primarily for commercial use,’ she said. ‘But it would be good for Guernsey to have alternative sea routes for the movement of goods and we will watch their progress closely with interest.’ To book a ferry to or from the channel islands or France, please visit the following pages: Ferries to Jersey, Ferries to Guernsey and Ferries to France. Greek ferries to see price warsDate: 17 Jul 2006 Source: Times OnlineGreece is deregulating its ferry services — so that routes and fares across its 240 ports will be opened to competition. Fifty of the least profitable routes are protected by government subsidies for now, but the busier routes will see fierce price wars. Noel Josephides, of the specialist tour operator Sunvil, says: “Companies have spent a fortune on new ships — the ferries are more modern, faster and more comfortable. Fares are more flexible: travel midweek, for example, and you can now get great discounts, while weekends might be very expensive.” In this transition period to full deregulation, the government has set ceiling fares for economy class and vehicles, but cabins and premium-class fares are now unregulated. To keep abreast of the changes, and for bookings, please visit our Ferries to Greece page. Corsica snaps up Spirit of Tasmania IIIDate: 17 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds ListFrench Mediterranean ferry operator Corsica Ferries has announced that it has paid Australian operator TT Lines E65m ($82.12m) to complete acquisition of the ferry vessel Spirit of Tasmania III. Although there were reports a little over a week ago that Norwegian company Norferries was ready to cap the French company’s price, Corsica Ferries, which belong to the Lota family group, said that it had now bought the vessel and renamed it Mega Express IV. The company said that the vessel, which has capacity for 1,500 passengers and 650 tourist vehicles, would bring the number of ships in its fleet to 12 and would be brought into service in November. A spokesman added that the vessel was being acquired to support the company’s bid for the public service concession for the operation of ro-pax services between the port of Marseilles and the island of Corsica. Bids have been invited for the new concession, which is due to begin on January 1 2007, and Corsica Ferries can expect to be bidding against the current concession holders, SNCM and Compagnie Méridionale de Navigation. The results of the bidding are due to be announced by the Corsica Assembly in the early autumn. Corsica Ferries said that the Spirit of Tasmania was similar to the three other Mega Express ferries operated by Corsica Ferries on lines between Toulon in France and Corsica and between Italy and Sardinia. The 176m, 2001-built Mega Express and Mega Express II, which have capacity for 1,756 passengers and 550 cars, were both built by the Orlando shipyard in Livorno, Italy. The 212m, 2001-built Mega Express III was built in South Korea and required from Minoan Lines in 2003. It was brought into service in April 2004 after modifications to increase passenger space and the number of cabins. Travelling to Corsica or Sardinia? If so, visit our Corsica Ferries page Threatened Trasmediterranea strike cancelledDate: 16 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds RegisterStrike action that would have affected Acciona Trasmediterranea ferries has been cancelled because the union involved failed to win support from other unions. Seafarers from Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Marina Mercante failed to persuade members of the UGT (Union General de Trabajadores) to join them as the move threatened to disrupt fruitful negotiations on Trasmed’s first collective labour agreement since the company was privatised in 2001. Trasmediterranea, which has denied that it will replace Spanish seafarers with non-EU crew members, said today it was considering legal action against STMM for any potential losses incurred as a result of the announcement of strike action. STMM has complained that Trasmed barred the union from the negotiating table. Euroferries bound Fast Ferry still dockedDate: 16 Jul 2006 Source: 10NBCEuroferries, the company that wanted to buy the Fast Ferry doesn't have it yet and the sale was supposed to be completed two months ago. But city officials said although it's taking a little longer than they would like to finalize the deal, they are confident this ship will still head overseas. "We thought it would be gone a long time ago,” said Mayme Maccarone of Rochester. “You keep hearing it’s going to leave,” said Bruce Kahn of Rochester. It seemed just about everyone visiting the Port of Rochester Friday night was surprised to see the ferry was still there. Back in May, the City of Rochester made a deal with Euroferries to buy the ship. “It’s taking a little longer than we would like,” said Gary Walker, City of Rochester spokesperson. Walker said Euroferries is still trying to secure funding and said they have enough money to buy the ferry but need enough to operate it as a business. But Walker said the city is confident Euroferries will pull through. "It's just like a house, I mean when you sell a house, you make your purchase offer, but it's not a week it takes months to do that,” said Walker. “It's the same thing with this.” In the meantime, Euroferries is under contract to pay the city $6,000 per day to care for the ship while it's docked. Although the company has yet to pay the city a dime, Walker said a contract is a contract. "Even if the boat does not sell to fast ferries, that $6,000 a day is a debt they are responsible for. We assure you we would not do anything on a handshake,” said Walker. He also said the city isn't putting the ship back on the market because their goal is to get the maximum amount of money for the ship. And for that, they are sticking with Euroferries. "If we thought that this deal was at risk because of the instability on the part of Euroferries we'd go elsewhere,” said Walker. Until the deal is done, people at the port are trying to get one last look at Rochester's Fast Ferry. "Sorry it didn't make money, but it sure was a convenient way to travel,” said Kahn. "It's a lovely boat, too bad we couldn't do something with it,” said Maccarone. Walker said the city has a timeline for how long they will wait for Euroferries to come up with the money, but he wouldn’t give News 10NBC any details. However, Walker did say the city is in daily contact with company officials. Travelling from the UK to France in the near future? Visit our Cross Channel Ferries page to make a booking. EU refuses to shield Tirrenia from ‘foreign corporate raid’Date: 13 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds ListItaly will not be able to prevent ferry giant Tirrenia from falling into foreign hands following privatisation, the European Commission has warned. Concern that Tirrenia, one of Europe’s largest shipowners, could be snapped up by non-Italian companies is not sufficient justification for imposing restrictions on the sale, according to internal market commissioner Charlie McCreevy. Responding to question from a worried Italian MEP, who said she feared Tirrenia would be subject to a foreign corporate “raid” as other Italian shipowners had been, Mr McCreevy said restrictions on any sale were forbidden by the EU treaties. “The ownership of companies is a matter for shareholders,” he wrote in reply to the MEP. “State measures restricting ownership rights are generally precluded. “Very often such restrictions on investment can affect cross-border acquisitions disproportionately and be contrary to treaty freedoms. “Exceptions to the freedoms do not extend to the protection of economic interests.” Italian MEP Roberta Angelilli wrote to Mr McCreevy saying she was worried Tirrenia would go the way of Lloyd Triestino and Italia di Navigazione, both of which ended up in non-Italian hands soon after privatisation. Taiwanese giant Evergreen bought Lloyd Triestino in 1998 while Italia di Navigazione was “dismembered” between CP Ships and D’Amico di Navigazione after it was sold, she claimed. “Tirrenia is among the companies exposed to hostile stock exchange raids,” she wrote. “The amount of shares sold could be as high as 100% for an estimated return of €500m ($585m). What measures can the Italian government take to avoid a hostile takeover?” Ms Angelilli said she was worried about the future of Tirrenia’s 3,200 staff and the future of the company’s connections to Italian islands, some of which were vital and recognised as having a public service function. With its Adriatica division and regional lines Caremar, Saremar, Siremar and Toremar, Tirrenia runs about 90 ships in 70 services, ranging from 3,000-passenger ferries on shortsea routes to small island hoppers. The European commission has already demanded that Tirrenia’s public subsidies are phased out by 2008. The new Italian government is expected to decide its fate shortly. There has been talk of privatising the company for a number of years. Explore Italy this summer, visit our Ferries to Italy page for more information. Harbour could set sail without ferryDate: 12 Jul 2006 Source: EDP24Yarmouth's £45m outer harbour could open for business with no ferry operator in place, it was claimed last night. Through a saga lasting decades, the new port and a continental ferry service have always been seen as inextricably linked. But less than a week after new firm International Port Holdings (IPH) was chosen as preferred partner to develop the project, the spectre has been raised of a harbour built and operating without any ferries running - and possibly without any even in sight. Greek firm Superfast Ferries signed a provisional agreement as preferred operator three years ago but an industry insider last night cast doubt on whether this relationship would be pursued. While expressing confidence that the odds were still in favour of a ferry firm signing up, he described it as "90pc certain the harbour will open before that happens". He said: "It is a big risk launching a new ferry service that will cost about £38m a year and I suspect any com-pany will want to see the harbour nearly built before they commit themselves. However, the evidence from other ports is that if you build great facilities the ships will come." He said an added safeguard that the harbour would now be built was that while the scheme became a lucrative "no-brainer" if a ferry was secured, it was still a sustainable proposition without one. Eliza O'Toole, a founding director of IPH, a firm spearheaded by former P&O Ports chief operating officer Alistair Baillie, last night said they were not contractually committed to Superfast. "We will be very happy to speak to them but recognise time has moved on since 2002," she said. "Their interest might be reignited now they can see the harbour is going to happen." Meanwhile, Ms O'Toole said discussions with other potential operators had started and "IPH would very happy to talk to any ferry company about using the facilities of the port". Even the route would be up for negotiation, although she said the much-mooted link to Ijmuiden in Holland remained attractive as it was the shortest crossing, allowing three services a day. Their intention was to start building before the end of the year and their business plan took into account the fact that ferry operators would be more attracted once construction was under way. Although they were confident the harbour would become an attractive proposition to ferry firms, she said the long-term sustainability of the port's operation depended on the development of a mix of trade. Speaking from Athens, Yannis Criticos, a director at Superfast, told the EDP that while the world had moved on since 2002, they would be "happy to discuss the project again when things are more finalised". When asked whether he still considered the development of a Yarmouth service attractive, he said: "We do have to see the whole picture. When we see that we will give an answer." Yarmouth Borough Council deputy leader Barry Stone said there was still no urgency to secure agreement with a ferry operator and it was the time to celebrate the "great news" that the harbour would be built. Stena recently said it would cancel its jet-powered HSS Discovery service between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. Finland approves Tallink's Silja ferries buyDate: 12 Jul 2006 Source: ReutersFinland's competition watchdog has approved Baltic ferry operator Tallink's purchase of rival Silja Line from Sea Containers, it said on today. The takeover would not create such a dominant position in the Finnish market that it would stop competition, the Competition Authority said in a statement on its Web site. "We studied their (Tallink's and Silja's) cruises, routes and traveller services and concluded that they did not clearly overlap, as SuperSeaCat (fast ferries) were not included in the deal," Leena Passi, the Finnish Competition Authority's head of research, told Reuters. The Competition Authority is expected to give more details of its assessment of the market within two weeks. The Estonian authorities have already approved the deal and Sweden is expected to hand down its ruling by the end of next week. Tallink said on June 12 it had agreed to buy Silja Line from Sea Containers in a 470-million-euro ($599 million) cash-and-shares deal, subject to regulatory approval. Tallink is the market leader in services between Estonia and Finland, Estonia and Sweden and Latvia and Sweden, while Silja has a leading position between Finland and Sweden. The Tallink-Silja deal excludes the SuperSeaCat fast ferry services between Helsinki and Tallinn, which will continue to be operated by Bermuda-registered Sea Containers. Finnish ferry operator Viking Line lost out to Tallink in the Silja auction. Norwegian shipping investment firm NorFerries said on Tuesday it would still be keen to buy Silja Line if regulators were to block the Tallink deal. Ferry comes to grief on Denia rockDate: 7 Jul 2006 Source: ValencialifeThe already famous submerged Androna rock outside Denia Harbor claimed another victim on Tuesday night after a Transmediterranea ferry ran aground on its stern as it was attempting to dock in the harbour. The ferry managed to come into port and dock without any of the seventeen passengers noticing what had happened, but firemen soon started pumping out the seawater that was starting to flow into the ferry as it lay at the quayside, with as much as two metres of water lying in the engine room. Underwater soldering equipment was called in and the stricken ferry will now be taken to a shipyard in Cartagena to complete the repairs. Northlink ferries win Orkney and Shetland contractDate: 6 Jul 2006 Source: BBC NewsA ferry operator has been awarded a six-year contract to take over services to Orkney and Shetland. Northlink Ferries Ltd, which replaces previous operator NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd, will receive £31m in subsidies in its first year. The new contract provides for freight and livestock to be included for the first time. Transport Minister Tavish Scott said the deal would secure vital lifeline ferry services for the long-term. About £78m of public money has been spent keeping ferry services to the Northern Isles afloat, more than double the originally agreed subsidy. The tender process began in April 2004 and bids were submitted by V-Ships UK Ltd and Caledonian MacBrayne which runs ferry services on the west coast. NorthLink Ferries Ltd has been formed to deliver the services following the appointment of Cal Mac as preferred bidder in March. The contract also includes a midweek freight call-in at Orkney, new livestock transporters from 2007 and an improved performance regime. Mr Scott said: "These ferry links are crucial to the prosperity and well-being of the Shetland and Orkney communities they serve. Local reaction "I am confident that this contract offers the best value for public money and will deliver real improvements for anyone using the service." Reducing freight rates for island businesses will benefit the economies of Shetland and Orkney, the minister added. "Local crofters and farmers will welcome the new livestock container arrangements," he said. The new company is wholly owned by ministers, through parent firm David MacBrayne Ltd. SNCM says sorry to 3,000 passengers stranded in sizzling MarseillesDate: 5 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds ListNewly privatised French Mediterranean ferry operator SNCM has apologised to some 3,000 passengers who found themselves stranded in the sizzling heat at the port of Marseilles on Monday following industrial action by seafarers, writes Andrew Spurrier in Paris. The dispute was the first public clash between seafarers’ unions and the company since SNCM came under the control of its new majority shareholders, Veolia Transport and Butler Capital Partners, at the start of June. The company claimed yesterday, however, that the dispute appeared worse than it was because many passengers had already been left stranded by the cancellation of a sailing to Algeria on Sunday because of the late arrival of one of its ships from repair. The Ile de la Beauté had been due to leave Marseilles for Algiers at mid-day on Sunday but was delayed at a repair yard in Genoa. The company proposed transporting the stranded passengers on the Méditerranée on Monday but this vessel was held up unexpectedly by industrial action by seafarers who were protesting over the company’s plans to axe three jobs as part of plans to reduce operating costs. Their action left more than 2,000 passengers on the open quayside in temperatures of over 30°C, many of them without refreshment. A number had to be given treatment by the emergency services after being overcome by the heat. In addition to passengers waiting to leave for Algeria, 850 passengers destined for the island of Corsica found themselves caught up in the dispute. SNCM claimed it had secured an agreement over the seafarers’ grievances at a meeting on June 27 but said it decided to take unilateral action to end the strike on humanitarian grounds on Monday evening. A spokesman declined to confirm yesterday that it had given in to the seafarers’ demands but said that the Méditerranée had been able to leave Marseilles shortly before midnight on Monday. He added that services were operating normally yesterday and that the Ile de la Beauté was due back in service yesterday evening. Loss-making SNCM was hit by a three-week strike in September last year as personnel protested over the government’s plans to privatise the company. The privatisation took effect at the end of May but Veolia has warned that the company will not survive unless it wins a renewal of the public service concession for ferry services between the French mainland and the island of Corsica. The company is due to submit its bid for the concession early next month but will have to wait until late September or early October to know if it has been successful or not. Acciona Trasmediterranea faces strike actionDate: 4 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds RegisterSpanish ferry operator Acciona Trasmediterranea faces serious disruption from 15 July as seafarers take strike action over replacement of domestic seafarers with non-EU crews. Domestic cabotage services and links between northern Spain and the UK, and between southern Spain and North Africa are expected to be hit. Seafarers claim AT will axe up to 500 jobs in a move to cut costs. AT has denied the allegations but confirmed last week that it is negotiating a labour agreement with unions. The dispute has broken out shortly after the owners’ association Anave, major unions and the Spanish government reached agreement over the incorporation of non-EU crew into the Spanish fleet. Owners threatened to abandon the Spanish flag unless flexibility over crewing was introduced. So far Spanish workers’ union UGT has declined to confirm whether it will support the strike action. Thousands stranded by SNCM strikeDate: 4 Jul 2006 Source: Lloyds RegisterThree thousand passengers remained stranded in the port of Marseilles yesterday after seafarers of newly-privatised ferry operator SNCM went on strike. About 2,200 passengers were prevented from boarding the Ile de Beauté and the Méditerranée destined for Algiers, while another 850 bound for Corsica were also forced to wait on the quayside. 'The passengers had to stay outside in the heat with little or no refreshment. Some people dehydrated and almost fainted, witnesses said. The action was launched without any notice, which triggered passengers' anger. "The seamen are just in the middle of discussions with the new management over the new organisation of work. This is not an organised action, only a mark of anger," a CGT unionist declared. An agreement with the new management of SNCM was reached yesterday night, permitting the company to return to normal business. However, this strike is evidence that the privatisation will not eliminate anger actions on the part of the unions and that the new management will have to handle social talks carefully if it wants to avoid further disruptions in the future. |
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