SeaFrance ships stay tied up

HOPES that SeaFrance ferries could put back to sea on the Dover-Calais crossing have been dashed after a court-appointed mediator failed to broker a deal between unions and the company.

The troubled firm's ferries have been tied up on the quayside at Calais since November 15, the day the Tribunal de Commerce de Paris rejected two tabled offers for the company, which has been in administration since last year.

Offers had been made by a consortium of DFDS and LD Lines plus a rival bid from a union cooperative, known as Scop. DFDS offered €5 million while the Scop offered a symbolic €1.

SeaFrance management had feared a sit-in by staff if the DFDS bid was accepted - as it would mean nearly 400 jobs would go - and ordered the ferries to remain in port.

The company last year made €240m losses and the tribunal gave it leeway to continue trading until January 28 while giving until December 12 for improved offers to be made.

Now unions are to hold a peaceful protest in Place Henri Barbusse in Calais on December 10.