News item from the local wrag Thursday
THE future of the popular Newhaven to Dieppe Ferry Service has been secured for a further two years.
In August the French authorities stepped in and promised to subsidise the service until March next year and they have now gone a step further to guarantee it keeps running until the end of 2017.
The extension represents a huge boost to Newhaven, securing jobs at the port.
The route is owned by the French regional council in Dieppe and managed by Syndicat Mixte de Promotion de l'Activité Transmanche (SMPAT), a public organisation.
They signed the agreement for DFDS to keep running the service in France yesterday.
Peder Gellert Pedersen, executive vice president of the shipping division at DFDS says: "I personally want to congratulate our crews, staff and management in France with this agreement and thank them for their patience over a long period of time."
Carsten Jensen, senior vice president and head of DFDS in the UK, added: “We are extremely pleased as this is good news for customers in the UK, as well as our French and UK staff who work hard to market and operate this excellent and important trade and tourism link between France and the UK.”
DFDS Seaways has operated the Newhaven-Dieppe route since the end of 2012.
Since May the Côte D’Albatre has been joined by the the Seven Sisters ship. There are four daily sailings during the low season and up to six daily sailings between the two ports during the busy summer period.
Under the terms of the agreement, DFDS will continue to be responsible for the marketing and operation of the service and will make the investments necessary for the ships to renew their certificates.
