Emotional Moment: KING SEAWAYS Sails Again
Following the announcements from the UK government about the lifting of quarantine restrictions and the restart of travel to many other countries, DFDS is resuming sailings between Amsterdam and Newcastle.
As both ships were laid up in IJmuiden, the first departures took place on Wednesday 15 July from Ijmuiden (photo) and Thursday 16 July from Newcastle.
The Prime Minister of the UK and the President of France agreed to work together in taking forward appropriate border measures. This cooperation is particularly necessary for the management of our common border.
No quarantine measures would apply to travellers coming from France at this stage; any measures on either side would be taken in a concerted and reciprocal manner. A working group between the two governments will be set up to ensure this consultation throughout the coming weeks.
Vital routes for supplies and people have been protected through a coronavirus support package to keep the flow of goods and services running smoothly in and out of the UK, and around the country, throughout the pandemic.
A multimillion government support package for essential freight services includes:
HERMINE is yet another newbuilding for CLdN. She started to operate last week from Zeebrugge to the UK. She’s the last unit of a 5,400 lane meter quartet of Hyundai Mipo built roro ships, including LAURELINE, YSALINE and SIXTINE. Before, two larger 8,000 lane meter roro’s were delivered, the CELINE and DELPHINE.
Previously, the order for two vessels at the Uljanik Yard have been cancelled because of the financial problems of the yard.
Instead, in July 2019 CLdN placed an order for an additional two roro’s at Hyundai Mipo. The major difference will be the fact that they will use LNG as fuel.
The two roro’s will have a 320m3 capacity C-type fuel tank, located under the main deck.
The 4+2 delivered roro ships are LNG-ready.
Four more ships will be ordered, as part of a twelve-ship expansion plan.
The UK Department for Transport is helping commercial drivers get ready Brexit by setting up 150 advice centres and helping drivers plan their journeys by providing a handbook and pocket ma
The government is calling upon freight firms to bid to provide extra freight capacity which will be used from October 31 in the event of a no-deal Brexit
Port of Zeebrugge, Home For UK Ferries
Last Saturday I was in Zeebrugge for a photo shoot on a cruise ship. The port is always surrounded by ferries coming from and going to the United Kingdom, and on this windy day it was not different.
P&O Ferries is taking legal action against the UK government. The reason is the GBP 33 million given to competitor Eurotunnel, seen by P&O as unfair distortion of competition.
The money given to Eurotunnel was given by the Department for Transport, as compensation for the GBP 100 million contracts with Brittany Ferries, DFDS and Seaborne Freight. These contracts were to make sure that the companies would have enough ferry capacity in case of a no-deal Brexit.
(see also in our Media section)
UK Government Cancels Brexit Ferry Deals
The UK Department for Transport is cancelling contracts to provide extra ferry services after Brexit.
The government bought £89m worth of capacity from Brittany Ferries and DFDS.
Ending the contracts could cost the taxpayer more than £50m.
“We needed to be ready”, said Mr Grayling, the Transport Secretary. The cancelled contracts were part of a £4bn no-deal “insurance policy” the government had put in place.