Transmanche Ferries

Transmanche Ferries is a ferry company that operates the Newhaven - Dieppe route across the English Channel.

It was formed after the previous operator of this route, P&O Stena Line, decided to concentrate on that company's primary route of Dover - Calais. The last P&O Stena vessel on the route, the "Stena Cambria", undertook her last sailing on 31 January 1998. No vessel replaced the "Stena Cambria" service until a high speed passenger service was instituted by Hoverspeed using "SuperSeaCat Two" in April 1999, however this service ended in 2004.

Despite the Hoverspeed passenger service, a conventional passenger-vehicle freight service was desired for the Dieppe - Newhaven route. Compiled of 5 public bodies, including the towns of Dieppe and Fécamp as well as three Chambers of Commerce, Transmanche Ferries re-opened the route early in 2001 with the chartered "Sardinia Vera".

When Transmanche started, they chartered the 1975 built "Sardinia Vera" from Corsica Ferries. With a capacity of just under 2,000 passengers and 43 lorries she provided an adequate starting point for the company. At 120m long and with a draught of 5.5m she fits into both ports perfectly. The company simply re-used the current livery of Corsica ferries and since then it has stuck, with their new ferries also painted in the same colour scheme, with the trademark large green ‘T’ in an identically coloured circle.

The decision was then taken in 2002 to purchase another ship to boost the amount of crossings that Transmanche were able to offer. The "Saga Star" was purchased, re-painted and named as "Dieppe". At 147m long she is a little too big for the Port of Newhaven and therefore has to reverse out before turning around the pier head instead of swinging inside the harbour as "Sardinia Vera" does. Although with a slightly larger vehicle capacity, she does not have the facilities of "Sardinia Vera", but is just as suited to the freight market.

New vessels

Soon however, the decision was made to order two new-builds specifically for the route. Constructed at H.J Barreras in Vigo, Spain, the "Côte D’Albatre" entered service in March 2006. At 142 metres long and with a draught of 5.7m she is the maximum sized ferry that Newhaven can currently safely accommodate. With a modern, luxury interior she will no doubt give a well needed boost to the company’s profile as well as attracting day trippers that were lost when Hoverspeed ended their SuperSeaCat service in 2004.

"Sardinia Vera" was returned to her owners, Corsica Ferries following the introduction of "Côte D’Albatre". The identical "Seven Sisters" joined this vessel in Autumn 2006 albeit with several modifications. At this time "Dieppe" was sold and is now sailing for Polferries as the "Baltiva".

See also

* LD Lines