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Strikes halt unaccompanied traffic to France
Page 42
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• As the French strikes built up this week the pattern of UK-Continent ferry traffic altered.
By Monday the BR Newhaven-Dieppe service was out of action and reception of traffic at Newhaven had been stopped, while by Wednesday it was reported that Calais and Dunkirk, like Dieppe, were strike-bound.
Of the French ports, Le Havre, Cherbourg and Boulogne remained open, and both Normandy Ferries and Thoresen were running from Southampton to Le Havre. However, Normandy Ferries cancelled reception of unaccompanied traffic on Monday, as trailers and containers required stevedoring services which were in danger of withdrawal on the French side; Thoresen followed suit later, but both services were taking accompanied vehicles.
Townsend Ferries were running normally from Dover, and were ready if necessary to switch traffic from Calais to Zeebrugge. There was reported to be spare capacity between the UK and Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ostend, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge.
With the general uncertainty about the likely duration of the French strikes, some shippers were advising exporters to hold back traffic which was not urgent.