The facts on ferries CM's 1982 guide
Page 42
Page 43
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THE SIGNS are that UK/Continental traffic levels are holding up pretty well. However, we have 14 fewer services in our roll-on/roll-off ferry guide this year, and one new route.
And Sealink's through package deal to Greece — in cooperation with Karageorgis Lines (UK), 36 King Street, Covent Garden, London WC2 — started last year, has picked up more commercial vehicle and coach trade.
Sealink tells me that it has closed no routes since our last guide was published, and has captured more of the coach trade. "We have had a reasonably good six months," said the freight department.
The Sealink-Karageorgis service takes care of hauliers' and coach operators' cross-Channel and cross-Atlantic sailings with a through route. The line has seven ro-ro ferries offering a daily service; main freight links are on Wednesdays and Saturdays for the 36-hour crossing between Ancona, in Italy, and Patras, in Greece. Unaccompanied trailers are accepted provided prior notification is given.
The through-service is offered by means of Sealink, which has 50 ships operating from Dover, Folkestone, Newhaven, Fishguard and Holyhead. Sealink's flagships, the St Anseim and the St Christopher, sail the DoverCalais route in 90 minutes with 62 hgvs plus 1,000 passengers and cars.
The Sealink service has now been joined by another large ship — the SNCF's Cote d'Azur.
Sally, the Viking Line which restarted its services in May, says it is making a push on the freight side. John Holt, the freight manager, says that clearance can be obtained through Ramsgate in a matter of minutes, and that drivers can use the Dunkirk corridor to Belgium without the need for French permits. Another line which claims to clear vehicles in minutes is Shoreham's Southern Port Services (see page 36). The Olau Line is featured on page 46.
Developments in international movements include the introduction last month of a new weekly groupage service by the Ferrymasters Groupage and Part Loads Division to and from Nor way. Ferrymasters has 400 tra tive units and 3,000 trailers.
The new service links UK d, pots at Bristol, Ipswich, Londo Middlesbrough and Warringtc with the Ferrymasters Norge JA combined depot and marketir office in Oslo via the company Middlesbrough/Gothenburg ri ro links.
At Dover, BP Oil this ye; opened a 24-hour derv-onl filling station at the Eastei Docks. Some 600,000 comma cial vehicles are expected I pass through Dover this year. advantage for returning drive is that a slip road leads off tt main approach to the dock exit. The new station is calk the Dover Truck Stop.
The EEC, through its Commi sion, has been studying intern, tional transport problems, and recommending the removal duty on fuel travelling acrcn frontiers by ordinary vehic tanks; harmonisation of motr vehicle tax; mutual recognitic of licensing procedures; the r, duction of technical checks , frontiers; and special lanes to t marked out at borders fc specific types of traffic, such perishable goods.
And, by 1986 it is said. Mini tars may be able to agree on date to end summertime.
Facilities at 19 British ports al
potlighted in a 112-page andbook — BTD8 Ports '82. ritish Transport Docks Board's ook gives information on the orts of Hull, Grimsby, lmmingam and Goole on Humberside; ing's Lynn and Lowestoft in ast Anglia; Southampton and lymouth in the South and outh West; Barry, Cardiff, ewport, Swansea and Port Talot in South Wales; Garston, eetwood, Barrow and Silloth in le North West; and Ayr and roon on the West Coast of Scot
The AA, by the way, warns at for the rest of the holiday mson, at least, all drivers iould prepare an alternative )ute to their Continental destiation.
• The British Overseas Trade oard is to support a British roup stand at Ro-Ro '83, the xth international conference rid exhibition of marine transort using roll-on/off methods, Svenska Marsan Halls, Gothiburg, Sweden, May 17-19, ext year.