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SeaFrance confronts Calais
Page 10
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Delays still plague Calais and Dover thanks to berthing problems at the French port — now another ferry operator is demanding compensation.
FERRY OPERATOR SeaFrance is following rival P&O's lead and claiming "substantial" compensation from the Port of Calais after weeks of disruption caused by the collapse of a berth deck. SeaFrance freight manager, Adrian Richardson says the firm is compiling a report of lost revenue and additional costs incurred following the accident at the beginning of February. This will be presented to the Calais Chamber of Commerce as soon as the berth is fully operational.
A truck almost went into the water after the bottom deck of one berth broke as two HGVs were boarding a ferry (CM 24 February). Since then international hauliers have endured regular queues on the M20 in Kent as Operation Stack was put into effect "We are severely out of pocket," says Richardson. "All the time it goes on the greater the sums become."
However, he questions P&O's advice to hauliers to claim compensation from the port:"Most operators would be reluctant to go down that road. They have seen what a long process it can be."
But Rob Hollyman from Purfleet-based FP Youngs, says he will fight for compensation because otherwise he fears it will just happen again:-It has cost me thousands and thousands," he says. "Trips that should take two days are taking three. I went berserk at the RI-IA because there's been nothing about it in the national media."
A Port of Calais spokesman describes the relationship between the port and ferry operators as "pretty cordial", but warns there will be a further problem this week as another berth will be out of action for three days, leaving just two, out of six, fully operational: "After that we are hoping that three berths will operate properly."