Friday, April 26, 2013

Ramsgate Ferry Firm Finally Runs Out Of Steam

Sadly it seems that our lovely TransEuropa Ferries here in the Cannes of Kent have gone into administration. That's what my spies in the anoraks with the binoculars tell me, anyway. The latest dispatch from Ostend reads:

The company has gone into administration today. Administrators will now try to find someone to take over the company. There seems to be one company who are keen to operate the line. They want to put a fastcraft on the line capable of taking trucks and cars.

We have to be a bit careful, as my understanding is that TEF is composed of a number of different companies, any one of which may, or may not, still be operational. And we all know that going into administration is not the same as going bust.

What does seem to be clear is that the Ostend Spirit has been repossessed by P&O, that its Slovenian crew are staging an old skool sit-in up at Tilbury claiming they haven't been paid for months, the TEF website is on the fritz, and the two remaining TEF vessels are laid up in Ostend.

It's a bad day for the town, and, of course, a bad day for those people who might lose their jobs as a consequence. But who knows, something may arise from the ashes. Anyone for Euroferries?!!?!

Meanwhile, don't forget that while most of the island's 'journalists' and political commentators were getting their proverbials in a twist about what may or may not be filmed at council meetings, I was bringing you the real news first! Hurrah for ECR!

Click here for the full story in The Gazunder (wot followed up my scoop!).

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let me be the first to blame TDC for this disaster. They should have privatised the port. Naturally if that failed I would blame TDC for privatising our industry when it should naturally have remained publicly run.

I am getting the hang of being a local. It's easy.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11.48. it was TEF that seems to have failed not Ramsgate Port. But if an operator cant be found for the TEF services then Ramsgate Port will have to downsize.
There is also the question of whether TEF owe the port any cash?

Anonymous said...

What a shame it wasn't the airport that went bust.

Unknown said...

Well done first with the real news.

A sort of sans ferry sans anna cleves sort of day then.

Anonymous said...

I blame Manston for this. I mean, how stupid to put two flights daily to Amsterdam which is just a smidgen up the road from Oostend. All those planes chock full of 15, 20 people would all have been using the Larkspur up to a month ago to get their low country fix and now they have taken locally hundreds of pounds worth of investment and are giving it to a huge Franco/Cloggo conglomerate and a Kiwi pension fund.

Anonymous said...

The ball is now in Thanet Council's court to say what they propose to do to encourage another carrier to their port. Sadly, however, they have about as much commercial acumen when it comes to running a port as a teapot, so don't hold your breath. This particular ball was dropped years ago.

Readit said...

Anon 2.04 You can hardly blame Manston and KLM for the TEF demise. Foot passengers were not allowed on the ferries and I don't think KLM are yet proposing to transport lorries.

Unfortunately this is a long overdue effect of the Channel Tunnel, a lorry can get to Belguim quicker using the tunnel than sitting on a ferry for 4 hours

OBO110X said...

But on the ferry the drivers get their break time that shows on the tacho in the cab so they leave the ferry and drive without having to stop until their next break time. Dover Calais is not long enough for the full required break time so they have to stop within a few hours of leaving the port

Anonymous said...

Correct the 4hrs crossing was ideal for drivers to get a rest in their cabin.

Do know that mainly "Eastenders of Europe" used the service.
Time to sleep was good for them.

Jessica M. said...

Seems DFDS has looked to the route.
They will be talking to TDC to buy up the port and offer services from and to Dunkirk/Ostend.

Anonymous said...

Look at this Richard its Latchford getting angry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h8Nhzx8cXmE

John Hamilton - talking sense and cutting through bullshit said...

CLEARLY TDC's fault, though as yet I have yet to work out why, but it must be, right??

I think the port was realy hamstrung many years ago, when they had begged for decades for a proper access road, to save the hideous U turn that had to be made by coaches and lorries using the port.

I know having driven lorries and coaches through Ramsgate that making that turn, and suffering the congestion, and awkward loading facilities at Ramsgate, when the tunnel became available, the companies I worked for then abandoned Ramsgate faster than Ian Driver leaping off a bandwagon that no longer gets media coverage!

I think it's fair to say that with Dover and the tunnel just down the coast, I'm surprised that Port Ramsgate has lasted as long as it did. Time to expand the Marina, build the hotel and properties in Ransgate that will benefit from it, and forget about delusions of being a transport hub.

John Hamilton - talking sense and cutting through bullshit said...

Lets hops that teh sensible heads in Thanet get Manston up and running properly, before it gets sidelined the same way the port did, and becomes the latest opportunity missed, while those who whine about development wring thier hands over each and every change that gets made in Thanet.

Time for Thanet to actually embrace the 21st century, and leave the 19th it clings to so tightly in the past.

DFL said...


Not that anyone really needs to rubbish the rubbish john Hamilton the turd spouts, but he doth contradict himself in the last two posts.

"I think it's fair to say that with Dover and the tunnel just down the coast, I'm surprised that Port Ramsgate has lasted as long as it did. Time to expand the Marina, build the hotel and properties in Ransgate that will benefit from it, and forget about delusions of being a transport hub."

"Let's hope that the sensible heads in Thanet gets Manston up and running...."

Exchange one underused, poorly placed transport hub with strong competition up road for,another underused, poorly placed transport hub with stronger competition up the road.

Keep taking the tablets.

Solo Gays said...

Richard, I did a new post about 45mins ago but it is not showing on your toolbar(as is the case currently with Michael's blog?)

Are there any technical isuues here perhaps?

Anonymous said...

It's Ian Driver's fault, John Hamilton told me!!!

John Hamilton - talking sense and cutting through bullshit said...

DFL, you seem to have used a great many words, yet said absolutely nothing of value.

Would you care to try to make a cogent and intelligent post if you wish to address the points I made, perhaps get your care assistant to help you, there's a good boy ;)

Anonymous said...

Anon 18:55 Tuesday 30 April 2013

Thanet District Council have not been interested in ferry services for a decade and wouldn't know how to talk to one. Something you can change.

London Tracy Kent Manston International Airport is in the wrong place to succeed. Something you cannot change.