SeaFrance

SeaFrance is a ferry company based in France that operates ferry services between Calais, France and Dover, England.

SeaFrance is the trading name of SNAT (Société Nouvelle d'Armement Transmanche) which is owned by SNCF.

The company employs a total of 1,850 staff, including 1,300 seagoing personnel and is the largest employer in the town of Calais [ [http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/opencms/uk/en/passenger/about_us/company_overview.html SeaFrance Company Overview] ] .

History

SeaFrance began operations between Dover and Calais in 1996 after the termination of a pooling agreement with Sealink (by then known as Stena Sealink Line) in 1995. The service initially began with the former Sealink vessels "Fiesta" and "Côte d'Azur" which became "SeaFrance Cézanne" and "SeaFrance Renoir" respectively after extensive refurbishments to create a distinctive French atmosphere on board. Former Sealink train ferry "Nord Pas-de-Calais" became the "SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais" and operated as a freight only ferry though SeaFrance did market the ship to passengers as a quiet ship. The three vessels were later joined by the former Stena Londoner which became the "SeaFrance Monet". SeaFrance quickly became the second busiest operator on the Dover - Calais route after P&O European Ferries and ahead of their former partners now known as Stena Line. In 1997 the "SeaFrance Manet" entered service after a five year charter to Stena Line for the Newhaven-Dieppe service, the ship essentially replaced the "Monet" which was later sold after being damaged in Calais. SeaFrance took delivery of the "SeaFrance Rodin" in 2001, their first new ship and the fastest Dover-Calais ferry. She was joined in 2005 by the "SeaFrance Berlioz", a sister ship built at a different yard [ [http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/opencms/continental/en/passenger/experience/the_fleet/seafrance_berlioz.html SeaFrance.com- SeaFrance Berlioz] ] .

SeaFrance was one of five companies invited to tender for the operation of Transmanche Ferries service between Dieppe and Newhaven. SNCF and later SNAT operated the route until 1992 when they withdrew after poor performance due to almost constant strike action. The route later passed to Sealink Stena Line (later renamed Stena Sealink Line and finally Stena Line). The route became part of P&O Stena Line with the merger of the company's Eastern Channel services and they operated the route until 1998 after which Hoverspeed operated a fast-ferry service on the route until 2004. Because the French local government did not want the route to be lost, they started a subsidised line called Transmanche Ferries in April 2001. After five years of service, and the arrival of two new-build ships the government had to tender the line in a concession to comply with EU regulations. The contract to operate the service was awarded to LD Lines on 21 December 2006.

In 2008 SeaFrance introduced the SeaFrance Molière and withdrew the SeaFrance Manet and plans to withdraw the SeaFrance Renoir [ [http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/export/download/press_releases_EN_2008/Communique_SeaFrance_Moliere_2008_EN.pdf SeaFrance Press Release - "SeaFrance Molière, a new ferry on the Calais/Dover route"] ] .

Current operations

SeaFrance currently uses its 6 ships to operate up to 28 round trips a day [ [https://www.seafrance.com/booking/findSchedules.do?saleLocation=uk&subsite=freight&lang=en SeaFrance Dover-Calais Freight Transport] ] [ [http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/export/download/press_releases_EN_2008/CEN_Seafrance_communique_15_09_2008GB.pdf SeaFrance Press Release - "SeaFrance is increasing the number of Channel crossings"] ] though they plan to operate 23 with five ships in 2009. In comparison the P&O Ferries Dover fleet, also of 6 ships, operates up to 29 round trips a day [ [http://www.poferriesfreight.com/freight/content/pages/template/ports_and_routes_Dover_-_Calais_sailing_schedule_sailing_schedule.htm P&O Ferries Dover-Calais sailing schedule] ] . Previously SeaFrance had offered around 23 round trips to P&O's 30 due to SeaFrance operating one ship in the mornings and swapping to another for the rest of the day. All vessels now operate five round tips a day except the "SeaFrance Renoir". "SeaFrance Berlioz", "SeaFrance Rodin" and "SeaFrance Molière" operate as multi-purpose vessels carrying both passengers and freight with "SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais" and "SeaFrance Cézanne" operating freight only. From September 2008 the "SeaFrance Renoir" has also been sailing freight only after a period of lay-up to increase capacity to allow the company to carry the increase in freight due to problems with the Channel Tunnel [ [http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/export/download/press_releases_EN_2008/CEN_SeaFrance_Communique_Renoir.pdf SeaFrance Press Release - "The SeaFrance Renoir back on the Calais / Dover route"] ] .

SeaFrance has been criticised in journals such as European Ferry Scene (specifically in the summer 2006 issue) and on-line newsgroups for the differences between the older fleet ("Cézanne", "Renoir" and "Manet") and the new vessels ("Rodin" and "Berlioz") including the standards of upkeep, food and crew. The purchase and conversion of the "SeaFrance Molière" has allowed the company to withdraw its older ships from passenger service and provide a more even standard across the passenger fleet.

In 2005 SeaFrance made a €9.27 million loss but made a net profit of €7.9m in 2006.

Current fleet

The current fleet is as follows.

Passenger/freight ferries

*"SeaFrance Rodin" (built 2001)
*"SeaFrance Berlioz" (built 2005). A sister ship of "SeaFrance Rodin". Unlike the "Rodin", which was built in Finland, the "Berlioz" was built in France, by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire.
*"SeaFrance Molière" (built 2002), formerly "Superfast X" and "Jean Nicoli", purchased by SeaFrance in 2007 [ [http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2007/12/31/afx4482257.html Forbes.com - Veolia sells ferry to SeaFrance at undisclosed price] ] and refitted for the Dover-Calais route in Dunkerque at the cost of €15 million. The vessel has previously operated on longer crossings in the North and Baltic Sea routes [ [http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1127512.php?mpnlog=1 SeaFrance acquires third modern ferry-28 March, 2008 ] ] . Entered service with SeaFrance in mid-August 2008 in freight only mode [ [http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/export/download/press_releases_EN_2008/Communique_Premiere_traversee_commerciale_SFM_GB.pdf SeaFrance Press Release - "The SeaFrance Molière makes her first commercial crossing"] ] and full passenger service on 1 October 2008 [ [http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/export/download/press_releases_EN_2008/Communique_SFMoliere_en_ferry_EN.pdf SeaFrance Press Release - "SeaFrance Molière, the new ferry on the Calais-Dover route"] ] .

Freight ferries

*"SeaFrance Nord Pas-de-Calais" (built 1987)
*"SeaFrance Cézanne" (built 1980, converted 1990). Formerly named "Fiesta", renamed "SeaFrance Cézanne" in 1996. :Withdrawn from passenger service in 2008 after the introduction of the "SeaFrance Molière".
*"SeaFrance Renoir" (built 1981). :Withdrawn and laid up in July 2008 but returned to service in September 2008 to operate additional freight sailings. Scheduled to return to service in late 2008 to cover for refits and is then likely to be sold.

Laid up vessels

*"SeaFrance Manet" (built 1984) :Formerly a passenger ferry, from 2006 used for freight services [ [http://www.doverferryphotos.co.uk/pastandpresent/champs.htm Dover Ferry Photos | M v Champs Elysees / Stena Parisien / Seafrance Manet] ] .

Gallery

Future

SeaFrance had planned to replace its older ships with two newbuilds. This would have reduced the fleet from six to four ships which SeaFrance believed would make the company profitable again. SeaFrance have since purchased the SeaFrance Molière and withdrawn two vessels, no orders have been placed for new vessels.

References

External links

* [http://www.seafrance.com SeaFrance] (official site)
* [http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/seafrance_rederi.htm Detailed fleet history] (in Swedish)