Freightsave loins in 'cauliflower run
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WHEN Brittany Ferries started their roll-on/roll-off service between the South-West of England and South-West France in 1973 it was mainly of benefit to the Bretonne agriculturists.
Today, trade between the two countries is balancing out on this route.
"The cauliflower run", as it is known, last year carried 16,000 tonnes, but UK exports of fish, mackerel in particular, amounted to 17,000 tonnes.
This announcement comes after the company had negotiated the introduction of its second year round-freight carrying service between Portsmouth and St Malo.
The two services are to operate under the name of Freightsave. Paul Burns, UK general manager of Brittany Ferries, told CM. "We are moving into more aggressive marketing of freight services.
"Freightsave saves operators time, effort and money by opening up the Western Channel. French hauliers used to go through Cherbourg, Le Havre or further north to get to US markets through the South-East.
"For British operators, Plymouth-Roscoff and Portsmouth-St Malo link up the Midlands and even Scotland." Since the Plymouth-Roscoff link was inaugurated in 1973, freight has increased to nearly 113,000 tonnes carried last year. Last Summer the company inaugurated the PortsmouthSt Malo route, initially as a passenger only service, but at the end of last year negotiations were successfully concluded to carry freight on the route on a year-round basis.
Both routes have a number of advantages. Plymouth is easily accessible from the North Midlands, South Wales and the South West, by use of the motorway links to Exeter and the dual-carriageway from Exeter to Plymouth. Portsmouth suits East Ang Ha and the South East. It Brittany, uncrowded road: lead from both Roscoff and S. Malo to the South West o France and on to Spain.
Madrid, for instance, is 75: miles from St Malo, but 97: from Calais — even 834 fron Cherbourg (see mileage char for comparisons to othe: towns).
Three out of Britton) Ferries' four ro-ro berths an exclusive — those at Ply mouth, Roscoff and St Mato — which means rapid clearanc( of loads and no queueing.
At St Malo a E2million ter rninal installation has beer built to accommodate the ser vice.
Groupage and transhipmen arrangements can be made a all four ports.
The new ship for the Roscof route, the Cornouailles, wil carry 40 lorries besides car: and passengers. Brittan) Ferries' other two vessels talc( 62 lorries between them.
Main freight carried las year on these services fron Britain was fish, china, clay livestock, meat, caravans am machinery.
From Brittany came au famed Bretonne cauliflower and artichokes, apples potatoes, butter, carrots am ,paper.