Stena plans fifth high-speed ferry

Stena Sealink is considering adding a fifth high-speed ferry to its key Dover-Calais route after its French pooling part ner, SNAT, pulled two ferries to form SeaFrance

P&O, which runs five passenger ferries between Dover and Calais, has rejected fast ferries as not viable.

Stena Sealink also says it will add an extra superferry to its existing three in January to maintain a frequency of at least 20 round trips a day.

This will bring the firm close to P&O’s frequency of 25 a day.

Because of the end of the 26- year pooling arrangement, Stena is also setting up a marketing department in Paris.

SeaFrance is putting together a UK marketing department in preparation for its January launch.

The operator’s new UK division will have separate marketing and sales directors.

SNAT commercial director Frederic Avierinos says that SeaFrance will develop advertising in the UK where 70 per cent of cross-channel business originates.

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