Blockade diversions
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kS THE trawlermen's blockade of French ports continued this meek, operators were being forced to use ports in Belgium ■ nd the Netherlands, reports MIKE RUTHERFORD.
P & 0 Ferries were sailing to !eebrugge, and Irish Continenal Lines to Rotterdam. Both ised Le Havre normally.
Surprisingly, Brittany Ferries :ontinued to offer normal ser(ices from Plymouth to Roscoff ind Portsmouth to St Malo.
Sealink was offering sailings rom Dover and Folkestone to )stend and also ran three night :rossings from Newhaven to )stend, specifically for freight raffic.
Townsend Thoresen was ,ailing from Dover and Folketone to Zeebrugge instead of Le lavre and Cherbourg. Despite living priority to holiday traffic, he company has operated a reight-only crossing from 'ortsmouth to Zeebrugge and vas prepared to do so again.
Although hauliers are being iconvenienced, few report ma)r problems. Most are hauliers iverting to Zeebrugge or )stend and Martin Trucks of irays, Essex said a few hours vere being added to journey mes but in general things were 'going OK.'
Seabourne Express Ltd of arking was diverting mainly to eebrugge, but said traffic jams were being experienced between Zeebrugge and Paris.
These operators' additional costs were not being passed on to customers but the Road Haulage Association warned this week that the extra costs of using the more expensive crossings, of drivers' time, and of fuel are a heavy burden to bear.
These and the costs of any claims which might arise, will have to be passed on,