Sunday 8 November 2009

EUROFERRIES - HAS THE FERRYMAN PAID ANYONE?

Adem (Big Blog) and ECR seem to have a problem with a director of Euroferries on their case.
My issue this evening is the pics on Euroferries web-site and in last Friday's IOTG and the fact that nothing seems to have been prepared at Ramsgate Port for the ferry service to run in 6 days time.
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The pic above, taken by a Strife staff investigator in the past 24 hrs, shows the facilities at Ramsgate Port for Trans Europa and no sign of a Euroferries set-up. If you visit Euroferries website, you will see a pic of Bonanza Express in Euroferries livery, but you have to realise that the pic was taken in the summer and that the 'Euroferries' bit was painted out again! If info on www.thanetonline.blogspot.com is accurate, Bonanza E has had a very recent re-paint job.
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The pic below shows how other facilities at Ramsgate are ready for Euroferries; steel shutterring and no evidence of the old Sally Lines base prepared with its 'Tax Free' shop for Euroferries
So, ok, Bertie does not wish to speculate about Euroferries backers or its financial position but is slightly alarmed that it would appear from our investigations in the past 24 hrs that:
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1. No dredging has ocurred to enable Bonanza Express to berth.
2. No berth is yet ready to receive Bonanza Express.
3. No preparations are obvious that Euroferries reception at Ramsgate are in place.
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The now redundant site at Boulogne (Gare Maritime) also shows little preparation for a 10 year old Incat ferry to do its stuff there. So what are we to make of this?
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Could it be that TDC at Port Ramsgate has been so incompetent that it has failed to prep up for this wonderful ferry service and that the French across the 'ogin' have been similarly incompetent? Before you suggest that 'How can the French be as incompetent as TDC?', might it not be the case that Euroferries have not placed financial bonds with the relevant authorities in advance to pay for the prep work?
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In other words, it might not be the case of 'Who has paid the ferryman?' but perhaps 'Who has the ferryman paid yet?'. Are we to hear from Cllr Roger Latchford OBE in the next few days the following via Cheryl Prendry at TDC:
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"Despite TDC's positive and pro-active encouragement of this venture and payments received by TDC in advance from Euroferries to get Ramsgate ready, we have cocked up as usual, and there is no way that Bonanza Express can berth in Ramsgate or even get into the harbour. We apologise to Euroferries and all those who have booked on the 14th November that we have failed to sign post, mark out lanes or have a terminal ready despite this service being planned to start in March then August of this year."

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bertie, let me quote your item on ECR from Shipping Times 2007:
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Adrian Gillan in a statement, again issued last year when pressed upon the operations of Euroferries, had responded, "We have a clear and well thought out strategy for this project ... and one that we are not at this stage prepared to share.".

Says it all?

Anonymous said...

Boulogne has dredged, I'll send you a couple of photos, also the fingers of the ramp have had something put on the underside.

Considering trials were due today, well it won't be with BE as she as of this moment is in Santa Cruz.

Apparently two and a half days to get to Ramsgate/Boulogne. So, we are already looking at Wednesday before a possible arrival.

Anonymous said...

Cpt Slaughter 'Says' TDC stand by to be boarded!!! Heave ho me hearties there's skulduggery to be done in this here harbour?

Bertie Biggles said...

Thanks for that 07:34. If you send your e-mail address in a comment, I will not post it on the blog but get in contact with you.

09:31, sounds interesting but shouldn't you be off the Somalia coast? Please feel free to share info when you can!

Anonymous said...

Cpt Blood responds

Stand by your ISP's (International Standard Piracy agreements) landlubbers.

Cpt Blood Arrrrrrrrrr

Anonymous said...

Bollocky Bill the Sailor says

Its all Bollocks, bollocks,bollocks,bollocks,bollocks,
bollocks,bollocks,bollocks,bollocks,
bollocks,bollocks,bollocks,BOLLOCKs.

says Bollocky Bill the Sailor man.

Anonymous said...

Apparently the best person for information is on 01843 572107, he is based at the port and has all the inside info.

Anonymous said...

Bollocky bill the sailor man

All this talk of a keelhauling this Saturday down at Ramsgates new port is all Bollocks, bollocks,
bollocks, BOLLOCKS. says;

Bollocky Bill the sailor man

Now if me old shipmate Cpt Flint turns up then then some one will be walking the plank - and like flint he his hard and sparky, Arrrrrrrrrr.

Bertie Biggles said...

We seem to have a few pirates on Strife at the moment! One does wonder who the real pirates are in this matter?

Poor old Pete on 01843 572107 has only got a 'No comment' script for those interested in ringing!