"COTES DES FLANDRES" the new DFDS ship operating on the Dover to Calais route

"COTES DES FLANDRES" is one of the two new ships operated by DFDS on the Dover to Calais service, they are in fact not new, COTE DES FLANDRES was introduced in 2005 and her sister ship, COTES DES DUNES, four years earlier, I have sailed on both many times when they were sailing first for SEAFRANCE and after to MY FERRYLINK, last year both ships were laid-up for the second time, before joining DFDS. "COTES DES FLANDRES" was built by CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE at Saint-Nazaire and first introduced in 2005 as the SEAFRANCE BERLIOZ, following the demise of her operator SEAFRANCE in 2012, she was laid-up awaiting new life, which happened the same year, a new Company was created to operate the ships, MY FERRYLINK, ownership also transferred to EURO-TRANSMANCHE, following a not very successful career, she was once again laid-up until DFDS decided to operate the ship in 2015. COTES DES FLANDRES and her sister were fully refit, changed liveries and brand new passenger amenities also were added, the ships are still registered in France and are manned by French crews. Last week I had the opportunity of sailing on COTES DES FLANDRES twice, first impression was, how beautiful she looks with the new DFDS livery with a much improved logo and very smart letters on their hulls, as for the amenities, I was disappointed at first, the ship lost her charming interiors of the past, they looked even somber in some places and bland, but and this is a big but, she is still a work in progress, overall the ship will be much improved surely in the coming months, she's only been in service for about six months, nevertheless for a ship that was completely rebuilt, she looks really smart and very well "remastered" to use a new term. COTES DES FLANDRES doesn't have a "La Carte Restaurant" anymore, she has in fact two self-service restaurants, photos above, the focus for DFDS on the route is without question the Freight, as a result she has the most magnificent "drivers lounge" I have ever seen on any ferry, the facility includes private access to an outside deck, for a touch of luxury the way to travel is the "Premium Lounge", for an extra cost of £12, passengers can have exclusive use of the lounge and help themselves to pasties, soft drinks and newspapers, last two photos on this post. One final comment for the paying customers aboard the ship, both Freight and tourists in much larger numbers compared to the previous operator, a good sign, hope the new employment will flourish and has a bright future, healthy competition is needed on the route. Photos 27.6.2016 and 3.7.2016

"DIEPPE SEAWAYS" at Dover

                        SUPERFAST X departing Zeebrugge in 2004

                    SEAFRANCE MOLIERE arriving Calais during the spring of 2011

"DIEPPE SEAWAYS" is the latest addition to the DFDS fleet on the Dover/Calais service, the ship was originally built in 2002 for SUPERFAST FERRIES as the SUPERFAST X, in 2007 for a few months she became the JEAN NICOLI she was then transferred to SEAFRANCE and became SEAFRANCE MOLIERE. After the collapse of the French Operator, she was laid-up for a few months before joining DFDS in October of 2012, her maiden voyage as the "DIEPPE SEAWAYS" was on the 7.11.2012. This built for speed Cruise Ferry is 29.800 GRT and is capable of speeds over 30 knots. Photos here included, "DIEPPE SEAWAYS" ready for sea at Dover, 28.4.2013 and as the SUPERFAST X and SEAFRANCE MOLIERE.

New Photos of "SEAFRANCE RODIN" laid-up at Calais

 Two very different  photos of "SEAFRANCE RODIN", the top one the ship laid-up at Calais where she has been since the 16th of November 2011 after the liquidation of SEAFRANCE and this beautiful cruise ferry at sea arriving Dover in April of 2011

Two more photos of the 2001 built ferry which is 33.796 GRT at Calais last week on the 2sd of March, in the meantime "SEAFRANCE BERLIOZ" younger sister of RODIN is still also at Calais, but the "SEAFRANCE MOLIERE" latest addition to the fleet of SEAFRANCE has now been moved to Dunkirk, I sincerely hope that these three beautiful Cruise Ferries have a decent future, at sea of course in a not so distant time, photos taken from on board "PRIDE OF CANTERBURY"

CALAIS, city of "laid-up" ships

With the recent liquidation of SEAFRANCE, its former Ferries have been laid up at the port for just over a couple of months, the images included show the "SEAFRANCE RODIN", "SEAFRANCE BERLIOZ"and "SEAFRANCE MOLIERE", also the P & O FERRIES "PRIDE OF CALAIS" can be seen on these photos, withdrawn from service just a week ago, the ship was due to be out of service in September last year, but technical problems with the delivery of the new mega "SPIRIT OF FRANCE" delayed the process, the newest P & O ship entered service on the 8th of February. The weather in Northern France has been atrocious so the photos are the best possible and were taken last sunday and yesterday

"SEAFRANCE CEZANNE" sold for scrap

Another former SEAFRANCE Ferry with the same fate as the "SEAFRANCE RENOIR" was the "SEAFRANCE CEZANNE". The ship was built in Sweden in 1980 by KOCKUMS VARV AB, she served SEAFRANCE from 1996 to 2011, she was withdrawn from the Dover/Calais service in 2010 and was then laid up at Dunkirk, the vessel was sold in 2011 to KIMYA SHIPPING and renamed "WESTERN LIGHT", she departed the French Port of Dunkirk in October 2011 to her final destination, Alang, she was 8920 GRT and had a cruising speed of 20 knots. Photo of "SEAFRANCE CEZANNE" taken in 2001 arriving Calais.

The end of the "SEAFRANCE RENOIR"

"SEAFRANCE RENOIR", another very nice ship that ended her days at Alang in India. Built as the "COTE D'AZUR" in 1981 by ATELIERS ET CHANTIERS DU HAVRE in France, she was 8.862 GRT and had a cruising speed of 18 knots propelled by Diesel engines, the ship had capacity for 330 cars and 43 freight vehicles. RENOIR served SEAFRANCE on the Calais to Dover route between 1996 and 2011. She was laid up at Dunkirk in 2010 and listed as "laid up" on the 2sd of June 2010. The ship was sold to EMILY SHIPPING INC in July 2011 and renamed "EASTERN LIGHT", in September she entered dry dock at Dunkirk for an inspection prior to her departure to the breakers at Alang, where she arrived on the 31st October 2011, the ship was finally beached on the 9th of November, she was a fine little looking ship and I have fond memories sailing on her. Photo taken last June at Dunkirk when the ship was laid up awaiting a decision on her future

SEAFRANCE to suspend DOVER / Calais service

Please click link below for latest news on this ongoing saga, more news shortly, photos of a beautiful ferry, the 2005 built SEAFRANCE BERLIOZ

SUPERFAST X at Zeebrugge in 2004

Built in 2002 by  HDW at Kiel, the SUPERFAST X entered service in February 2002 with SUPERFAST FERRIES on the Hanko to Rostock route, this service was short lived and the ship was later in same year employed on the Rosyth to Zeebrugge route, a service she kept until 2006 when she was to sold to VEOLIA TRANSPORT, a period of charters followed with COTUNAV and ANEK LINES until eventually in December 2007 the ship was sold to SEAFRANCE, she entered service on the Calais to Dover route in September 2008. She is today  30.285 GRT and has a top speed of over 30 knots, a waste if we consider the short time crossing from Calais to Dover, where she has an average speed of 20 knots. Photo of the ship in 2004 at Zeebrugge and in March 2011 approaching her berth at Calais

DFDS and LD LINES place bid for SEAFRANCE

It´s not all plain sailing for SEAFRANCE unfortunately, DFDS and LD LINES have placed a bid to acquire the french ferry operator, apparently a joint firm would be created to operate the Calais/Dover service, so let´s wait for next weeks for further developments, this is of course a very busy channel route which needs proper service and healthy competition. Photos of the wonderful cruise ferry SEAFRANCE BERLIOZ departing Calais earlier this year

SEAFRANCE RENOIR STILL FOR SALE

The SEAFRANCE ship "SEAFRANCE RENOIR" remains at Dunkirk for sale, the ship has been laid up since 2010, she was built in 1981 by Ateliers et Chantiers du Havre in France, with 8.862 GRT the vessel has a cruising speed of 18 knots, last time I travelled on the ship was back in 2008, photos taken 22sd June

SEAFRANCE BERLIOZ ARRIVING AT DOVER

Seen here in April 2011, the SEAFRANCE BERLIOZ is approaching Dover at the end of another crossing from Calais, the ship was built in 2005, photos from the SEAFRANCE MOLIERE

MV "SEAFRANCE RODIN" AT SEA

Seen here in April is the MV SEAFRANCE RODIN, she is approaching Dover, photo taken from the SEAFRANCE MOLIERE