AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

LD Lines eyes up SeaFrance services

26th February 2009
Page 14
Page 14, 26th February 2009 — LD Lines eyes up SeaFrance services
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

FRENCH FERRY OPERATOR LD Lines has proposed to take control of SeaFrance services on cross-Channel routes in the wake of SeaFrance's decision to cut 650 jobs.

SeaFrance, which runs ferries between Dover and Calais, blames a "steep fall in the cross-Channel freight market" for the cuts. It says the cross-Channel freight market was 23% down in January compared with last year, equivalent to 800,000 trucks a year.

Among the measures outlined by SeaFrance is a cut in the size of its fleet in an attempt to adjust to reduced market demand. SeaFrance, which is owned by French rail company SNCF, says it plans to return to break-even by 2010.

As soon as SeaFrance announced its cuts last week, rival ferry operator LD Lines made its proposal to "take control" of the Dover-Calais route and merge the SeaFrance service

with its own Dover-Boulogne and DoverDieppe services.

LD's parent company, the shipping giant Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, says the two companies could make more efficient use of their ships if they worked together.

SeaFrance has not yet responded to the LD Lines proposal and a spokeswoman says SeaFrance has no comment to make on the proposed merger.

LD has only recently arrived on the Dover Strait in its own right, launching its twicedaily Dover-Boulogne service on 12 February together with a once-a-day Dover-Dieppe service. From 1 July, LD plans to increase services on the Boulogne route to six a day.

• See feature on page 38.


comments powered by Disqus