Here is the Euroferries press release.
Euroferries has entered into an agreement with global ship manufacturer Austal, securing the newly built 102m trimaran on a long term charter agreement which will operate this high-speed service.
The Trimaran’s state of the art design offers unprecedented sea keeping capabilities, utilising the softer roll of a monohull with the low resistance, stability and carrying capacity of a catamaran, affording unrivalled levels of passenger comfort for travelling across the channel at speed.
The vessel will arrive in January 2013, with the service becoming fully operational between Boulogne and Ramsgate during February 2013.
The service will offer 4 daily crossings, catering for passengers, cars and luxury coaches. The vessel is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 40 knots thus enabling Euroferries to provide one of the fastest channel crossings available.
Euroferries is responding to demand for a fast, efficient and passenger friendly crossing; Euroferries service will provide an “in-seat” shopping service, Wi-Fi Internet access, extensive onboard catering and shopping facilities and easy motorway access to and from both ports, developing and maintaining dedicated customer focus for this unique experience.
Euroferries will also be introducing an express coach service to operate between Ramsgate, Canterbury and London Victoria.
Euroferries chairman, Per Staehr would like to congratulate his team, Austal, Euroferries partners, Boulogne and Ramsgate ports and the state authorities for enabling them to get to this milestone of the project.
The Trimaran’s state of the art design offers unprecedented sea keeping capabilities, utilising the softer roll of a monohull with the low resistance, stability and carrying capacity of a catamaran, affording unrivalled levels of passenger comfort for travelling across the channel at speed.
The vessel will arrive in January 2013, with the service becoming fully operational between Boulogne and Ramsgate during February 2013.
The service will offer 4 daily crossings, catering for passengers, cars and luxury coaches. The vessel is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 40 knots thus enabling Euroferries to provide one of the fastest channel crossings available.
Euroferries is responding to demand for a fast, efficient and passenger friendly crossing; Euroferries service will provide an “in-seat” shopping service, Wi-Fi Internet access, extensive onboard catering and shopping facilities and easy motorway access to and from both ports, developing and maintaining dedicated customer focus for this unique experience.
Euroferries will also be introducing an express coach service to operate between Ramsgate, Canterbury and London Victoria.
Euroferries chairman, Per Staehr would like to congratulate his team, Austal, Euroferries partners, Boulogne and Ramsgate ports and the state authorities for enabling them to get to this milestone of the project.
Here is the link to the charter agreement on the ferry manufacturer’s website http://www.austal.com/en/products-and-services/commercial-products/ferries-vehicle-passenger/next-generation-102m-trimaran.aspx
Here is the link to the BBC story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-19997561
I might just have to give this a go. Thanks for the heads up.
ReplyDeleteIs this same Euroferries as previously? http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2012/2/Euroferries-Ltd/SHP_ADJ_180059.aspx
ReplyDeleteAnon. 11:22 Yes it is.
DeleteI hope this trimaran will not be noisy, what with all these aircraft and what about ........er ..
ReplyDeleteI am truly looking forward to this service. It will provide some good days out and hopefully a few much needed jobs. I wish it well.
ReplyDeleteThink of all those cars and coaches heading for the port on top of the lorries using the existing service to Ostend. All that pollution, congestion on the roads, traffic noise and inconvenience to the locals going about their daily business of spending their benefits. Perhaps we should form a No-to-Trimaran group. Even worse, supposing one comes back late afternoon, but has to shelter in the roads because of storm conditions around Ramsgate harbour, finally docking after 11 pm. The mind boggles at the risk to our tourist trade for the users of this service will just be passing through.
ReplyDeleteI think you are quite right WoR! We should form an alliance to block this service before it is given a chance to disrupt our lives and bring a bit of much needed prosperity to this grotty corner of kent!
DeleteThanks for the support, Paul, and perhaps we could start by asking TDC to conduct a public consultation at the Benefit office and of the residents of retirement flats and bungalows along the route of all this traffic heading for the harbour.
DeleteAll of the above is true. And what next - a pincer attack with an aircraft carrier? We must be told.
DeleteActually an aircraft carrier would be cost effective for the Thanet Protests Movement [TPM]. They could share their resources.
Of course the arrival of this trimaran is nothing more than a secret cover up for some sinister plan. I do not know what this plan is but I am prepared to protest about it anyway.
Good to have you on board, John, to coin a nautical phrase. Another thought though, how does this new service link in to TDC's decision to reject the application for a new state of the art radar system at the port because it was going on a listed building, the café which actually is not listed. Modern services without modern port control facilities, perhaps TDC will ban this service because there is not alternative radar coverage within one hour sailing.
DeleteI assume the application was refused because radar might allow the punters to see what's coming and that would never do. I tell you - it's all a secret plot hatched by the gang of six who used to be the gang of four but this inflation gets in everywhere.
DeleteI'm with you there John, shall we arrange a protest at the port to try to blockade this service? I'll be down there with my picket sign 'No to jobs and prosperity in Thanet'.
DeleteI did see something comical last night on the ThisIsKent website, somebody had posted a comment on an article announcing the latest 'launch' of EuroFerries, asking them to boycott the port until TBC had stopped live exports. So, apparently it would seem, EuroFerries have more power in the matter than the European Union!
Sorry, should read TDC, not TBC. Bloody Iphone and it's autocorrect haha.
DeleteWhat a great idea to have this up and running in Ramsgate, I am looking forward to it with open arms, Roll on Febuary 2013,
DeleteI'm sure this conspiracy is mentioned in the 'Protocols of Zion'.
DeleteActually, John, I think it is a gang of twenty-five, unless you count 'he who ate all the pork pies' twice when it becomes a gang of twenty-six, propped up by a gang of three. Nice to see we still have a sense of humour in Thanet despite everything.
ReplyDeleteHAVENT WE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND STILL WAITING
ReplyDelete12:37 How very cynical, albeit observant, of you.
DeleteNO PRESS RELEASE FROM TDC OR ARE THEY WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE NIMBEES HAVE TO SAY WE MUST STOP THIS NEW VENTURE BEFORE IT STARTS THIS SHIP MIGHT DISTERB MY SLEEP
ReplyDeleteI guess the longer term readers of this blog will know that I was highly supportive of Euroferries previous attempt to start a ferry service from Ramsgate.
ReplyDeleteTruth is both Ramsgate and Thanet in general have everything to gain and nothing to lose from this ferry service.
I am hoping that the council will also be highly supportive and look forward to some announcement from them.
Pas de vélos autorisés Peter.
ReplyDeleteOnce again highly impressed by the adult level of the comments. WOR obviously lives elsewhere or he would have known about the tunnel under the cliffs - no householders to be disturbed down there.
ReplyDeleteI really hope that this venture works although knowing the problems the big boys are having in Dover I'm not that optimistic. Still, now we have a proper road link - it was originally intended for the port - we can live in hope.
Mind you, I'm sure the happy trippers are going to be well impressed queuing up next to half a dozen sheep lorries.
Actually, Mr Smarty Pants, I live in Nethercourt well before the noisy lorries get to the tunnel roundabout. Mind you, my comments were tongue in cheek and despite where I live I have never objected to aircraft flying over or lorries driving by. I actually find shrieking women with banners on the roundabout more annoying.
DeleteAnonymous @ 8:07,
DeleteI think you may have overlooked the fact that some of the comments to which object were made in jest; and did not attack the trimaran
Have you ever thought of moving somewhere that doesn't invite live animal exports? That way you can avoid the shrieking protesters. Alternatively, you can cosy up with the rest of your blue rinse narrow minded duffers in north Thanet.
ReplyDeleteLeave ramsgate to the people who give a toss about its future
Like those who moved here yesterday rather than grew up and were educated in the town. As for blue rinse, my dear old father was a Labour councillor as was my grandfather before him.
DeleteSorry to spoil your notion that there is some blue and red political divide between North and South Thanet. When I last looked both constituencies had Tory MPs.
At your next attempt to debate do please try to drag yourself up out of the gutter and discuss issues rather than trading childish insults. You let your party down.
I feel like a bowl of Petunias. Oh no, not again... No, it's a joy to finally some wit and sarcasm instead of and at the expense of the cancerous negativity beloved of so many Thanet residents who can't see beyond the value of their neighbour's house prices on the online property selling sites.
ReplyDeleteWell good luck to Euroferries. I shall use it next time I am there. Hopefully they shan't be discouraged by the "I've been here longer than them" brigade. Considering the utter mess Thanet remains in, it appears that some incomers, who might just have fresh ideas, might not be such a bad thing.
One attempt at constrctive comment - I'm not sure I'd bother with a coach service, though. Sounds like an expensive drain on resources when they could perhaps have done a deal with Airport Connections or Nat Express. Didn't EuJet try a coach service?
Funnily enough, I felt like a bowl of Petunias last night and so I had them with a steak and mayonaise. Quite delicious!
DeleteBS, think you will find it is mainly the newcomers who object to everything that might disturb their life at the seaside. Most of the indigenous would like to see some progress and jobs, so if this ferry service comes off it will be good news indeed.
I am a bowl of Petunias. But enough about me. If we leave the EU then we shall need Ramsgate and her ships for a repeat of Dunkirk.
DeleteJohn I don’t think this was supposed to personal, I think it was perhaps a literary quip relating to Douglas Noel Adams’s improbability drive.
DeleteYes, I realised that Michael. I was just carrying on the joke. It has been a while since I read ' A Hitchiker's Guide To The Galaxy'.
DeleteLooks like this was more BS from Euroferries the trimaran hasnt left OZ.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get that?
DeleteSounds right- the ship is now listed as "available" on the manufacturers website
ReplyDeletehttp://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?mmsi=311037300
ReplyDeleteWhat are the odds on THIS Euroferries venture ever setting sail?
ReplyDeleteThe picture in the press release that Michael is showing at the top of this post is deceiving. What is shown is an Incat 96, delivered to Fred Olsen in 1999 for their service between Tenerife and Grand Canaria. As of a minute ago the 102 metre trimaran, hull number 270, is available for sale or charter. 11:28 is right on the money I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteHas any one any idea when this much heralded service will start? I phoned their enquiry line but there was only a recorded message saying "the service will be starting soon. It is already mid July.
ReplyDeleteoh dear.
ReplyDelete