Channel ferry seized by police

SERVICES by SpeedFerries have been cancelled after French police arrested their only ferry in the port of Boulogne.

All crossings have been cancelled since the SpeedOne catamaran was held on Thursday night and there will be no sailings today.

A spokeswoman for the company said they were cancelling on a day by day basis.
Company bosses are meeting with the port authorities this morning.
The Port authorities of Boulogne arrested SpeedFerries’ SpeedOne during its turnaround on the basis of debts to the port in relation to port dues and taxes.
Chief Executive Officer Curt Stavis said in a statement: “The arrest was totally unexpected, as the authorities had given written confirmation that no legal steps would be taken prior to a meeting.”
He said the company had “substantial counterclaims towards the port which have been entirely ignored by the French authorities” and added they were contesting “serious competition and discriminatory issues in relation to the Port’s dealings with a French ferry operator preparing to start-up a Dover-Boulogne service.”
The Boulogne Chamber of Commerce said it took legal action over unpaid docking fees and taxes, saying SpeedFerries management had shown "no real will to pay the outstanding sums despite a string of promises."

SpeedOne carried 700,000 passengers from Boulogne to Dover in 2007 and 531,000 in the first nine months of 2008, running at least three daily return services.

Photo:SpeedFerries