Monday 24 September 2012

MY FERRY LINK, new service Calais / Dover












MY FERRY LINK is a French Maritime Company composed mainly by former SEAFRANCE employees, after the liquidation of this Ferry Operator the assets were assigned to EUROTUNNEL, three ships compose the fleet, the BERLIOZ, RODIN, sister ships and the NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS which is at the present undergoing a refit and will start operating in October, these ships are now leased to a SCOP, which is a cooperative society where employees are the majority shareholders. We wish all the success to this new service, it's really good to see these ships back in service after being laid-up for nearly nine months. The inaugural crossing took place from Dover on 20.8.2012 with the BERLIOZ. Photos included BERLIOZ and  RODIN in September 2012, both at Dover and Calais

"BERLIOZ" departing Calais









"BERLIOZ" departing Calais, photos 13.9.2012

ACCIONA TRASMEDITERRANEA Ferry Terminal at Barcelona














The ACCIONA TRASMEDITERRANEA Ferry Terminal at Barcelona was opened in 2009 after 36 million euros upgrading, it's located close to the World Trade Centre and the COLOMBO statue. The facility has 1077 meters of mooring dock allowing for five ships to be operated simultaneously, facilities include a Maritime Station, vehicle park and machinery for merchandise handling. From the terminal departures are provided to the Balearic Islands, Genoa, Rome, Porto Torres, Tangier and Livorno. Photos taken in Barcelona 7.9.2012

Saturday 22 September 2012

Over 8000 passengers affected by BRITTANY FERRIES strike


BRITTANY FERRIES is a company in turmoil at the present, all Ferry services out of the UK from the ports of Portsmouth and Plymouth have been suspended indefinitely until further notice due to industrial action taken by members of the crew, some 8000 passengers have already been affected. BRITTANY FERRIES has been losing money for three consecutive years, the crew not happy with working terms and conditions have opted for industrial action. Talks are undergoing in Brittany between BF and unions in order to try and reach an agreement as early as the beginning of the coming week. BF has made special arrangements with P & O FERRIES and the newly formed MY FERRY LINK in order to accept all BF tickets, for an update on all the alternatives in place please click here. BRITTANY FERRIES has been part of my life for the past twenty years, I have sailed hundreds of times with BF, they are in my opinion the best Ferry company operating to and from the UK, so I am particulary worried with the dispute, I would hate to see a repeat of the SEAFRANCE situation, it won't come to that surely, trust common sense will prevail and situation will go back to normal in the next few days. My photos above, CAP FINISTERE, 27.11.2012 and flagship PONT-AVEN, 27.4.2011 both at Santander

Thursday 20 September 2012

"IKARUS PALACE" at sea




This last week has been all about the "IKARUS PALACE", I was not expecting to do another post about the ship so early, but after an incredible coincidence one of my FB friends was travelling on the cruise ship CELEBRITY ECLIPSE on the 8.9.2012, when just off Livorno captured the IKARUS arriving at the same port with me on board, incredible coincidence totally justifying this new post. Photos copyright Andrew Cooke

Wednesday 19 September 2012

Ferry photos at Barcelona







Barcelona is a very busy port also for Ferries, daily departures are provided to Genoa, Livorno, Roma, Tangier, Palma Maiorca, Mahon, Ibiza, during the summer hundreds of thousands of passengers use the ferries to reach their holiday destinations, the ferries, they have to rely on freight throughout the year to maintain their very own existance. Photos 7.9.2012