Blow the Ship Horns
Wednesday 1 April 2020, 12:00. That’s how the ports of Flanders paid a tribute to all health care workers.
In this unprecedented situation several chief executives of ferry companies have shared a personal message with their passengers, customers and staff.
They wrote letters or made a video.
Ferry Shipping News is happy to share some of the finest examples. In these troubled waters it is good to get a more personal message, in addition to normal communication.
“We’ve acted in the best interests of passengers and our colleagues. Our priority, of course, is the safety and well-being of passengers, crew, shore-side staff, suppliers, as well as the communities we serve across four countries.”
“I’d like to thank everyone at Seatruck and our customers. I’d also like to thank everyone else involved in transport and logistics from the drivers and technicians, to the staff in the warehouses, to the people in the ports, the stevedores and of course the crew on all vessels including those of our competitors. And a massive thank you to the families that support you, being a transport family is never easy but is even more difficult right now.”
In a very natural and human way he talks mainly to the DFDS people, about why the long passenger routes had to be closed down temporarily and how agreements with Governments will help to re-employ the same staff after the crisis.
The format is very simple: just talking selfie-style, as he was talking to you personally. Because of the simple way of filming and communicating one can better feel Mr. Carlsen’s emotions, making it very honest.
“Good afternoon everybody. My name’s Janette Bell and I’m the chief executive of P&O Ferries.
These are unprecedented times and I wanted to say a few words to the thousands of people who work for us, the millions who travel with us and of course the millions more who rely on our trucks and ships.”
Vincenzo Onorato has his own public Facebook page and published an emotional letter (in Italian).
“In 62 years of life, I’ve never spent a single day without a fight.”
For many months now we have fought the assault of the speculative Funds that wanted to tear us apart for mere economic interests. We have faced the attacks of competition increasingly determined to destroy our reality on the seas.
Now, a new emergency, the Coronavirus is haunting our country and the entire planet.
We are still the first sea infrastructure in the country. Each year, we transport around 8 million passengers and about 600k trucks. We employ about 5.800 people from our country.
We are suffering: our first source of income, passenger traffic, has been practically reduced to zero. We will survive with the awareness that our unity makes us strong.
My thoughts go especially to the people of our Islands, who live mainly on tourism and I am very worried about them too.
It is necessary to have Faith in our Lord, but also on our abilities and determination to come out of this.
We’ll get through this too and we’ll be stronger than before.
The country will be stronger than before, the islands will rise stronger than before.
I am on the bridge day and night.”
In a very vulnerable way, he starts by explaining his ‘bald look’. It is the first time he has appeared on a video since his cancer treatment started. He lays out the facts as they stand. This is an authentic message from a leader.
Financial Aid to Fehmarn Project is State Aid Says Commission
After an investigation of the financing granted by Denmark to the Fehmarn fixed link project, the European Commission concludes that this constitutes State aid – as maintained by Scandlines.
The investigation was necessary, as the Court of Justice of the European Union in 2018 annulled the European Commission’s initial decision given in 2015, thereby removing the financial foundation for the Fehmarn project.
The ruling finds in favour of Scandlines’ claims by concluding – as opposed to the Danish state’s original assertion – that, firstly, the financial aid to the Fehmarn project constitutes State aid and, secondly, that both the amount and the aid period must be limited. These measures were not part of the initial decision.
The European Commission thus confirms by its approval that the use of State guarantees on loans and State loans must be limited to covering a debt of maximum EUR 9.3 billion, and maximum the first 16 years of operations.
When the European Commission’s decision has been made public in full, Scandlines will decide whether to appeal against parts of it.
