Euroferries' first sailing cancelled

Latest in a series of delays as ferry operator postpones weekend launch

CROSS-CHANNEL ferry firm Euroferries will not launch on Saturday as planned, despite having started taking bookings.

A spokeswoman for the firm said last-minute problems had arisen that meant the launch would be delayed – those who have booked are to be offered compensation, she said, expected to include free travel or free upgrades to first class.

The firm is meant to be providing a Ramsgate to Boulogne service, four times a day, for cars and passengers, taking just 75 minutes. However they have been dogged by setbacks – the service was originally meant to start at the end of March and recently a September 1 start date was missed. This is the first time however that the firm had started to take bookings.

The spokeswoman said the latest delay was “unfortunate” and Euroferries was aware many people would be “inconvenienced.”

She added: “It is due to final-stage complications, nothing to do with the boat or Euroferries’ side of things, but issues to do with actually getting the boat in and out of the ports. We are still looking at an imminent launch, just not on Saturday.”

Updates will be made available for passengers on Euroferries’ website, she said.