For a fast free quote for ferry travel and to compare ferries for your route from every ferry operator enter your details above.

powered by AFerry.to

Ferries meeting increased demand from tunnel closure

Ferry Online Travel News 18/09/2008

← | Index | →

Cross-channel ferries have stepped up capacity to meet increased traffic following last week’s Channel tunnel fire.

Commercial operators and many individual Eurostar passengers are looking to the ferries to cross the Channel, and have found that many of the ferries departing Dover are full.

SeaFrance announced on Wednesday that it was adding extra capacity to its sailing schedule to accommodate those travellers who normally rely on rail service.

Immediately following the blaze in the Eurotunnel, the French operator of the Dover-Calais ferry increased the number of sailings on the route and also organised extra buses to shuttle Eurostar passengers who were being diverted via Calais.

The operator is getting ready for another busy weekend, but insists that there will be “ample space” to accommodate the increased traffic.

The managing director of SeaFrance, Robin Wilkins, noted: “Our booking systems and operations are coping well with the current surge in volumes of people travelling via the port. We have increased our space to cope with current demand, and have spare capacity available to meet any further increases this weekend and in the coming months, if necessary.”

He added: “Added to the Channel Tunnel situation, the recent turmoil in the travel industry has led people to book directly with operators, rather than go via third party agents whose stability may be in question. Our booking systems are robust and coping well with the current increased levels of demand.”

← English channel rail services to be disrupted for weeks | Index | Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry has new operator →