MyFerryLink wins Channel court case
Competition Commission told to think again about bid to ban ferry company over Eurotunnel links
CROSS-Channel ferry firm MyFerryLink has won an appeal against the UK Competition Commission’s decision to ban it for two years from operating on the Calais-Dover route.
The Commission had reacted after complaints by DFDS Seaways and P&O Ferries that the Eurotunnel-backed ferry company was in breach of monopolies rules by operating its own Channel Tunnel service and also subsidising the new company created out of the failure of SeaFrance.
Today’s ruling by the Competition Tribunal allows MyFerryLink to continue running its service, which DFDS says is unfairly undercutting other operators, although the tribunal referred the case back to the commission for a rethink on the ownership issue.
MyFerryLink had been given six months by the Competition Commission to halt operations on the Dover-Calais route and Eurotunnel UK press spokesman John Keefe hailed the decision as a “victory for the consumer”.
The tribunal rejected the Competition Commission’s claim that it had jurisdiction to rule on the ferry operation and the way EuroTunnel bought the assets of SeaFrance and leased them to MyFerryLink. The new company is part-funded by redundancy pay-offs to SeaFrance staff who formed a cooperative to run the new line.
MyFerryLink UK managing director Robin Wilkins told customers that bookings are safe and the company’s ferries will continue to operate as usual.
"We are delighted with the ruling. We anticipate that this will finally enable us to build our business without further legal challenges. We are already the highest rated cross-Channel operator and have built a substantial business based on quality of service and value for money. This is a very good day for our staff, our customers and our future customers."
French Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier has also hailed the ruling as “a decision that preserves the future of the company and its 533 staff”.
DFDS has previously threatened to withdraw from the Dover-Calais crossing if MyFerryLink was allowed to continue.
• The British government is selling its 40% stake in cross-Channel rail company Eurostar in a new round of privatisations that could bring in £10billion for the Treasury.
