SCOP Seafrance Rejects DFDS Offer
Copenhagen-based shipping and logistics company DFDS said that its offer to the administrators of the MyFerryLink co-operative known as SCOP Seafrance for the acquisition of a part of SCOP Seafrance including 202 staff has been rejected.
The offer was given following discussions with all stakeholders including the French Minister of Transport, on June 25 2015, DFDS said.
This would have allowed DFDS to operate a 3rd vessel between Dover and Calais.
“DFDS regrets the position taken by the administrators, but remains at the disposal of the Commercial Court of Boulogne to discuss a transfer of parts of the SCOP Seafrance business in order to minimize the social impact of the potential liquidation of SCOP Seafrance,” the company said.
However, the rejection of the offer does not affect the agreed bareboat charters between DFDS and the Eurotunnel Group, which will commence on 2 July 2015, DFDS added.
The announcement comes as workers’ industrial action in Calais resumes for the third day. On June 29th, ferry operator MyFerryLink informed that all of its services were cancelled due to industrial action. According to the latest update from the Port of Dover, services between Calais and Dover remain suspended due to the industrial action.
“Port sincerely regrets the impact to the travelling public, freight & the Dover Community of a Calais situation which is beyond our control,” said Port of Dover in an update today, adding that passengers can use the alternative port of Dunkirk, some 20 miles east of Calais.
Commenting on the situation in Calais, Carsten Jensen, senior vice president and head of DFDS Seaways in the UK said: “We are deeply concerned that our customers are continuing to face long delays on their cross Channel journeys due to ongoing industrial action in Calais, which has closed that port. We’d like to apologise to all our passengers and freight customers caught up in this gruelling situation and appeal to the authorities in France to reopen the port of Calais as soon as possible to allow people to travel through it quickly and safely.”
Striking ferry workers agreed on Wednesday to let some boats through, partly lifting a blockade in its third day.
“We’ve accepted to lift the blockade of the port from 20:00 (1800 GMT) to let P&0 boats through one by one,” union official Eric Vercoutre is quoted by Reuters as saying.
World Maritime News Staff
