Ferry News Archive
Dover Ferries resume as blockade ends
Date: 16 Apr 2009 00:00 Source: BBC NewsFerry services from Dover have resumed after French fishermen ended their blockade of Calais and Dunkirk ports.
Thousands of holidaymakers and hauliers trying to cross the Channel had faced a third day of disruption in a dispute over EU fishing quotas.
A blockade of Dunkirk was also lifted, so protesters could discuss an offer of cash aid from the French government. The port of Boulogne remains closed.
P&O and SeaFrance ferries have resumed. Norfolkline is also in operation.
The ports had been blockaded since Tuesday.
French Fisheries Minister Michel Barnier has reportedly offered four million euros in aid to fishermen in the north of France, but has rejected demands to increase fishing quotas.
A spokeswoman for P&O said on Thursday morning: "The blockade is being lifted for today.
"We can start as soon as possible to get ships moving and resume a normal service as soon as possible."
The ferry operator said a backlog of cars and lorries at Dover had been cleared by 0830 BST.
Ferries started sailing immediately rather than waiting for scheduled sailings, a P&O statement added.
Ferry passenger Rafla Reszelluska, a Polish builder living in North Finchley, north London, who had to wait at Calais, said: "I'm very relieved. It's been very frustrating and I have had enough.
"This is none of our business, we just want to go home. We don't care about the situation in this place."
And another passenger at Calais, Judith Blatch, 47, from Sudbury, Suffolk, said: "I'm very happy. We have some sympathy with the French fishermen because it's their livelihood, but it wasn't doing the reputation of France any good."
She added: "With the fishermen blockading the ports it does put you off France."
'Worst possible time'
One of the Calais protesters, Pascal Hamy, 49, said "There have been some concessions but they're not enough.
"What we want to do is work. We're not guilty of causing the problem [for travellers].
"The people guilty of that are the French government and Brussels. It's not us.
"We understand people are stuck here and we know that they are frustrated.
"We're sorry but this action is the only thing the politicians understand."
The blockade was lifted overnight to allow the backlog of passengers to clear from Calais.
It was imposed again early on Thursday and then lifted again.
People had earlier been advised to make alternative travel arrangements.
Hundreds of lorry drivers have been queuing on the M20 in Operation Stack - put in place by Kent Police to reduce traffic congestion close to Dover.
Jo Tanner, from the Freight Transport Association, said the blockade had come at the worst possible time.
"It is costing £40 per hour per HGV and if you look at Operation Stack and the number of trucks it soon adds up," she said.
"Particularly when we have an industry that's already struggling thanks to the recession, thanks to successive fuel duty increases, this is absolutely the last thing that we need."
Mark Darlow, 41, an exhibition contractor from Retford in Nottinghamshire, was due to sail with his father, Peter, from Dover to Calais on Wednesday.
"This is having a huge effect on businesses, not just in the UK but the whole of Europe, this is one of the busiest freight terminals worldwide," he said.
One French union had reportedly tried to extend the blockade to Eurotunnel, but a spokesman for the tunnel operator said the French police would not allow that to happen.
French fishing unions have been protesting at ever tougher EU-imposed quotas, and demanding the French government take a stand on their behalf or offer more financial assistance.
On Wednesday, French ministers refused protesters' demands for increased cod quotas, but said they might offer extra financial support.
P&O has already said it is preparing a compensation case against the fishermen, and has estimated the cost to its business at about £1m a day.
Eurotunnel services and trains run by Eurostar have been unaffected by the industrial action so far.
Extra passenger and freight trains have been running from Folkestone to Calais to deal with increased demand.
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