postnote Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 The Tribunal de Commerce in Paris declared the French ferry firm bankrupt but said it could continue to operate services until 28 January. Offer 1. French court rejected a £5m bid by rival firm DFDS to take over the company. Offer 2 Organised by the CFDT union, was also rejected by the court. Offer 3 The Tribunal de Commerce also ruled out a €200m (£176m) bailout by the French Government was illegal. So what future is there for Seafrance, the only two offers on the table have been rejected along with the illegal French Government So why the stay of execution? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I suspect offer 3 will go ahead but through a French back door ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupert123 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 postnote - 2011-12-13 9:24 PM The Tribunal de Commerce in Paris declared the French ferry firm bankrupt but said it could continue to operate services until 28 January. Offer 1. French court rejected a £5m bid by rival firm DFDS to take over the company. Offer 2 Organised by the CFDT union, was also rejected by the court. Offer 3 The Tribunal de Commerce also ruled out a €200m (£176m) bailout by the French Government was illegal. So what future is there for Seafrance, the only two offers on the table have been rejected along with the illegal French Government So why the stay of execution? This is slightly old news Postie. The companies were given until the 12 Dec. to re-submit bids and in the meantime Seafrance for various reasons had decided to stop operating. They have been giving refunds on any booking already made if people asked. No further bids were made although both companies DFDS and the Union backed bid were invited to a meeting in Paris, the union declined to attend and stated they did not think the company run by Danes was a great idea so ships stuck in port gathering dust. Great lot French unions, even more stupid than ours. Look out on Ebay, four ferries going cheap, get your bids in. Personally I hope they can continue as their carnet deal, for me, was the best arround. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I heard the David Cameron was making a bid for the company but only if the French will agree to his terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinhood Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Colin Leake - 2011-12-14 3:55 PM I heard the David Cameron was making a bid for the company but only if the French will agree to his terms. I think that rumour must be wrong. Clegg said he wanted to build bridges with Europe, so why would Dave need a ferry company? ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Robinhood - 2011-12-14 3:59 PM Colin Leake - 2011-12-14 3:55 PM I heard the David Cameron was making a bid for the company but only if the French will agree to his terms. I think that rumour must be wrong. Clegg said he wanted to build bridges with Europe, so why would Dave need a ferry company? ;-) Perhaps Sarkozy and Merkel can come up with a rescue plan-or if that fails Gordon Brown saved the world so why not Seafrance?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 The latest news, according to La Voix du Nord, is that DFDS have now withdrawn from negotiations and the only offer now on the table is from a union led workers co-operative. This bid is still short of what SNCF require, but the union leaders say they are still hopeful (10 million€ offered by Region Nord/Pas de Calais, 1 million by Calais and 4 million by department and other communes). Court will decide by maybe as early as Monday if offer has a chance or if this is end of line for Seafrance. Clearly better if Seafrance can keep afloat as less competition always leads to higher prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I for one will really miss Seafrance - it's been an important part of our holidays for over a decade. But in view of the strike record, the words "workers" and co-operative" don't trip off the tongue when thinking of SF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 robertandjean - 2011-12-14 9:12 PM The latest news, according to La Voix du Nord, is that DFDS have now withdrawn from negotiations and the only offer now on the table is from a union led workers co-operative. This bid is still short of what SNCF require, but the union leaders say they are still hopeful (10 million€ offered by Region Nord/Pas de Calais, 1 million by Calais and 4 million by department and other communes). Court will decide by maybe as early as Monday if offer has a chance or if this is end of line for Seafrance. Clearly better if Seafrance can keep afloat as less competition always leads to higher prices. I for one would like to see the French Union proposal approved. I would LOVE to watch socialists actually trying to run and make a commercial success of a real-world, Private Sector Company for once, instead of acting just to destroy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Well all the contenders in the race to win the French presidential election next year are using "made in France" as their slogan but the sailors involved in Seafrance say this is a joke as no-one is trying to save their jobs. They are bored, very worried and feel betrayed. Only P&O are gaining the traffic that should be their's. They say no Seafrance employees will vote for Sarkozy and are threatening to vote for Marine le Pen (who also calls for "made in France" but she wants it to be made law!). The French press prints lots of moans, exactly as in Britain, re industry suffering losses, but they say they are losing trade and industry mainly to Germany. So in-fighting over there. Are we going to witness another rise in nationalism? Not good for our export ambitions either, particularly with the fall in the euro. Good for travellers though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 Robinhood - 2011-12-14 3:59 PM Colin Leake - 2011-12-14 3:55 PM I heard the David Cameron was making a bid for the company but only if the French will agree to his terms. I think that rumour must be wrong. Clegg said he wanted to build bridges with Europe, so why would Dave need a ferry company? ;-) Perhaps Seafrance have more ships than the Royal Navy and being unarmed, their vessels better reflect the pacifist tendencies of the bearded and sandal-wearing part of the Coalition? ;-) :-o Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 BGD - 2011-12-14 9:52 PM robertandjean - 2011-12-14 9:12 PM The latest news, according to La Voix du Nord, is that DFDS have now withdrawn from negotiations and the only offer now on the table is from a union led workers co-operative. This bid is still short of what SNCF require, but the union leaders say they are still hopeful (10 million€ offered by Region Nord/Pas de Calais, 1 million by Calais and 4 million by department and other communes). Court will decide by maybe as early as Monday if offer has a chance or if this is end of line for Seafrance. Clearly better if Seafrance can keep afloat as less competition always leads to higher prices. Bruce we do hope the bid succeeds as it will save jobs in both France and the U.K. . Co-operatives can infact be more successful than the much praised private sector. Witness that Lloyds Bank, who had to be bailed out by the tax payer and were in part responsible for the current economic situation, are now having to hand over many of their branches to the well run and successful Co-operative bank. I for one would like to see the French Union proposal approved. I would LOVE to watch socialists actually trying to run and make a commercial success of a real-world, Private Sector Company for once, instead of acting just to destroy them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postnote Posted December 16, 2011 Author Share Posted December 16, 2011 We used to use Sea France but after being let down buy the French crew going on strike we started using P & O again and also DFDS. Sea France workers show how much they think of us Brit’s by striking mainly during UK holiday periods. Now let them reap the rewards they sewed. Yst again the unioins bring a company to their knees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 As an aside, P & O are offering £10 off a return trip of over 6 days as "they are the only company operating on the Dover to Calais". Of course they may have increased their fares first to compensate!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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