Displaying items by tag: MyFerryLink Sold

15th June 2015

Eurotunnel Sells MyFerryLink Twins to DFDS

#DoverCalais – Lloyds Loading List reports that the Eurotunnel Group announced last week that it agreed to sell the main assets of its MyFerryLink maritime business, claiming that "the conditions necessary to develop freely did not exist".

Eurotunnel said it had received a binding offer from DFDS for a "let to buy sale" of two of its three ferries, Rodin and Berlioz. It added that it "regrets" that the SCOP SeaFrance workers co-operative that has operated the vessels since their purchase by Eurotunnel from SeaFrance "has not had the support it needed to be able to present a takeover proposal".

With regard to MyFerryLink's third vessel, Nord Pas de Calais, Eurotunnel said: "In order to maintain its transport operations, Eurotunnel Group will ask the competition authorities to lift the current prohibition and to enable it to be operated in coordination with the Fixed Link."

Eurotunnel said it believed the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) "should not oppose" the completion of the sale of the two ferries, "which will lead to two maritime operators of equal importance".

With this sale, Eurotunnel said it would "ensure that the activity remains in Calais, a situation which was not achieved when the SeaFrance Moliere was sold by its owner, Le Credit Lyonnais, to be operated in the Irish Sea".

Afloat.ie adds that SeaFrance Moliere which spent a stint for DFDS also on the Dover-Calais service was introduced in March as Stena Superfast X on the Dublin Port-Holyhead route.

The newcomer directly replaced Stena Nordica which incidentally serves for DFDS on the premier UK-France short sea service as Malo Seaways.

For more on this ferry industry development, Lloyds Loading List has the full report here.

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Forty Foot Swimming Spot on Dublin Bay

The 'Forty Foot' is a rocky outcrop located at the southern tip of Dublin Bay at Sandycove, County Dublin from which people have been swimming in the Irish Sea all year round for 300 years or more. It is popular because it is one of few spots between Dublin city and Greystones in County Wicklow that allows for swimming at all stages of the tide, subject to the sea state.

Forty Foot History

Traditionally, the bathing spot was exclusively a men's bathing spot and the gentlemen's swimming club was established to help conserve the area.

Owing to its relative isolation and gender-specific nature it became a popular spot for nudists, but in the 1970s, during the women's liberation movement, a group of female equal-rights activists plunged into the waters and now it is also open to everyone and it is in the control of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council.

Many people believe that swimming in extremely cold water is healthy and good for the immune system.

Is it safe to swim at the Forty Foot?

The Forty-Foot is a great place to swim because there is always enough water to get a dip but like all sea swimming, there are always hazards you need to be aware of. For example, a lot of people like to dive into to the pool at the Forty-foot but there are submerged rocks that can be hazardous especially at low water. The Council have erected signs to warn people of the underwater dangers. Other hazards include slippy granite cut stone steps that can often be covered with seaweed and of course marine wildlife including jellyfish that make their presence felt in the summer months as do an inquisitive nearby Sandycove seal colony.