DFDS and LD Lines have announced they will team-up to provide a new Dover- Calais ferry service to compete against the only remaining operator, P&O Ferries.

This announcement was made shortly after the courts in Paris ordered Seafrance to be liquidated. Both DFDS and LD Lines offered a rescue plan to the courts to the tune of 5 million Euro but was rejected out of hand.

In the meantime Eurotunnel has stated an intention to buy out the three Seafrance ferries from the liquidator. This has been regarded as a blocking strategy by the ferry companies who therefore see it as an anti-competitive ploy.

It is not known at this stage whether the LD Lines / DFDS consortium will attempt to buy the Seafrance ferries as they have vessels of their own they could use at the outset. They will however be using French seafarers, which would give hope to at least 200 staff laid off by Seafrance.

LD Lines operated a Dover to Boulogne service using a high speed catamaran, the “Norman Arrow” until it was switched to the Portsmouth - Le Havre route. They briefly operated a regular service but was discontinued in 2010. DFDS currently operate a successful ferry service from Dover to Dunkirk.

Read our previous stories about this ongoing saga....

Sarkozy Saves Seafrance
Seafrance to go Under