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Clear skies ahead for LD Lines
Pierre Géhanne, president of the Louis-Dreyfus Lines group explains the healthy state of the Portsmouth-Le Havre route and reveals plans for future projects.
How would you explain your success at Le Havre?
"We have put in place a different concept to that of our predecessors. P&O's problem was they had 3 rotations a day with much larger ships. That proved too much for a town the size of Le Havre. However, Le Havre cannot afford not to have a cross channel link."
How do you secure the loyalty of customers faced with all the competition?
"Simply by being more competitive. The first year was the set-up year, when people discovered the company. In 2007 we broke even and are now able to make a profit. We also need to offer people a quality service to maintain the competition with, for example, a town like Caen. There are always improvements to be made. It is also necessary to attract French customers, 80% of our customers are currently British."
What are your future plans for the Portsmouth - Le Havre route?
"We have already ordered two new ships in order to increase the rotations to two per day. They are currently being built in Asia. The first should be completed in 2010 and the second the following year. In the meantime we are still on the lookout for a suitable ship which would enable us to offer the second rotation earlier. However, this is proving difficult. We also hope to offer a route to Ireland in the future."
The 2007 summer season saw the introduction of a new daily route from Newhaven - Le Havre. Is this a sign of the good results LD Lines has experienced since its arrival at Le Havre?
"The figures for the end of September for the Portsmouth - Le Havre route are more than positive. Compared to 2006, there is an increase of 39% for passenger vehicles, 36% for passenger numbers and 9% for freight. So we are very happy.
The Newhaven - Le Havre route started for the first time this year, from May to the end of September, it also performed well and will resume next year."
Was the Newhaven - Dieppe route able to increase its share of the market?
"We are slowly improving. The summer season was a success. By the end of August we had carried 163 528 passengers, an increase of 3.39% compared to 2006. Freight was also able to regain some of its share of the market."
The success of the LD Lines service, since its start at Le Havre two years ago, has allowed us to increase the rotations thanks to the acquisition of two new ships (of which one is still an option). They will also sail between Portsmouth - Le Havre.
The order was placed with a company in Singapore, STM (Syngapoure Technologies Marine), who also works for Airbus. The construction in Asia was preferred to Europe because of the difference in cost.
This acquisition represents a 110 million dollar contract (78 million Euros). A new ship built in Europe would have cost 130 to 140 million Euros. They will be able to carry up to 950 passengers and have a top speed of 19 knots (35 km/h).
The service includes 160 cabins, a self-service restaurant, a freight only restaurant, two bars (coffee shop and pub) and 200 reclining seats, of which 100 will recline flat. The delivery of the first ship is expected in the first half of 2010.
Two new ships to increase rotations
The 3rd October 2005, when LD Lines (a subsidiary of the French group Louis Dreyfus Armateurs) restarted the Portsmouth - Le Havre route left vacant by P&O, victory wasn't a certainty. The acquisition even represented an economic risk.
Louis-Dreyfus Lines, at the time a relatively new player in the cross-Channel links, had everything to prove. From the start, the most pessimistic were predicting a loss of 10-20 million Euros. However, from 2006 the figures were good.
The Norman Spirit, (ex Pride of Aquitaine from the Dover to Calais route), an 11 year old ship, cost the company 45 million Euros. It achieved two thirds of the P&O traffic which had 3 departures a day. Good results which allowed it to take over the Newhaven - Dieppe route in March 2007, in the context of a Delegation of Public Ownership Services agreement. At present the companies LD Lines and Transmanche Ferries offer the most frequent service between France and Great Britain in the Mid-Channel.
Irish Pub
For each rugby world cup match, the bar on the Seven Sisters will be transformed into an Irish pub. The atmosphere is so vibrant when the English play it feels like the ship is shaking.
Refit
After 11 months of service, the ship will be sent to Gdansk for its annual refit. Why Poland? Because there were no free naval yards in France.
Attention to detail
Since the start, the staff on board have learnt to pamper English cars. Especially the classic cars which often use the crossing.
Source: Paris Normandie Havre Presse
How would you explain your success at Le Havre?
"We have put in place a different concept to that of our predecessors. P&O's problem was they had 3 rotations a day with much larger ships. That proved too much for a town the size of Le Havre. However, Le Havre cannot afford not to have a cross channel link."
How do you secure the loyalty of customers faced with all the competition?
"Simply by being more competitive. The first year was the set-up year, when people discovered the company. In 2007 we broke even and are now able to make a profit. We also need to offer people a quality service to maintain the competition with, for example, a town like Caen. There are always improvements to be made. It is also necessary to attract French customers, 80% of our customers are currently British."
What are your future plans for the Portsmouth - Le Havre route?
"We have already ordered two new ships in order to increase the rotations to two per day. They are currently being built in Asia. The first should be completed in 2010 and the second the following year. In the meantime we are still on the lookout for a suitable ship which would enable us to offer the second rotation earlier. However, this is proving difficult. We also hope to offer a route to Ireland in the future."
The 2007 summer season saw the introduction of a new daily route from Newhaven - Le Havre. Is this a sign of the good results LD Lines has experienced since its arrival at Le Havre?
"The figures for the end of September for the Portsmouth - Le Havre route are more than positive. Compared to 2006, there is an increase of 39% for passenger vehicles, 36% for passenger numbers and 9% for freight. So we are very happy.
The Newhaven - Le Havre route started for the first time this year, from May to the end of September, it also performed well and will resume next year."
Was the Newhaven - Dieppe route able to increase its share of the market?
"We are slowly improving. The summer season was a success. By the end of August we had carried 163 528 passengers, an increase of 3.39% compared to 2006. Freight was also able to regain some of its share of the market."
The success of the LD Lines service, since its start at Le Havre two years ago, has allowed us to increase the rotations thanks to the acquisition of two new ships (of which one is still an option). They will also sail between Portsmouth - Le Havre.
The order was placed with a company in Singapore, STM (Syngapoure Technologies Marine), who also works for Airbus. The construction in Asia was preferred to Europe because of the difference in cost.
This acquisition represents a 110 million dollar contract (78 million Euros). A new ship built in Europe would have cost 130 to 140 million Euros. They will be able to carry up to 950 passengers and have a top speed of 19 knots (35 km/h).
The service includes 160 cabins, a self-service restaurant, a freight only restaurant, two bars (coffee shop and pub) and 200 reclining seats, of which 100 will recline flat. The delivery of the first ship is expected in the first half of 2010.
Two new ships to increase rotations
The 3rd October 2005, when LD Lines (a subsidiary of the French group Louis Dreyfus Armateurs) restarted the Portsmouth - Le Havre route left vacant by P&O, victory wasn't a certainty. The acquisition even represented an economic risk.
Louis-Dreyfus Lines, at the time a relatively new player in the cross-Channel links, had everything to prove. From the start, the most pessimistic were predicting a loss of 10-20 million Euros. However, from 2006 the figures were good.
The Norman Spirit, (ex Pride of Aquitaine from the Dover to Calais route), an 11 year old ship, cost the company 45 million Euros. It achieved two thirds of the P&O traffic which had 3 departures a day. Good results which allowed it to take over the Newhaven - Dieppe route in March 2007, in the context of a Delegation of Public Ownership Services agreement. At present the companies LD Lines and Transmanche Ferries offer the most frequent service between France and Great Britain in the Mid-Channel.
Irish Pub
For each rugby world cup match, the bar on the Seven Sisters will be transformed into an Irish pub. The atmosphere is so vibrant when the English play it feels like the ship is shaking.
Refit
After 11 months of service, the ship will be sent to Gdansk for its annual refit. Why Poland? Because there were no free naval yards in France.
Attention to detail
Since the start, the staff on board have learnt to pamper English cars. Especially the classic cars which often use the crossing.
Source: Paris Normandie Havre Presse
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