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LD Lines confirms early start for their Dover to Boulogne and Dieppe Service.
Ferry operator LD Lines has confirmed its arrival into the Dover Straits cross channel ferry market with a brand new service, which will commence from the 12th February 2009, bringing forward the introduction of its new Dover - Boulogne service and a new route between Dover and Dieppe.
The company will begin a Dover to Boulogne service almost six months ahead of schedule, from the previously announced 1st July 2009 start date, by introducing a conventional freight and passenger ferry to the route.
Operating from Dover's Eastern Docks and the Port of Boulogne, the ship will utilise the existing berth previously used by the defunct fast ferry operator; SpeedFerries.
"We can clearly identify the strong commercial opportunities for a direct ferry link to be re-established between Dover and Boulogne following the departure of the previous operator and our research shows the demand is there from tourist passengers and freight customers, to bring forward the start date of the service, " says Christophe Santoni, Managing Director LD Lines.
"A profitable ferry service must rely on a combination of passenger and freight business and by introducing a conventional ship to operate between Dover, Boulogne and Dieppe, both freight and tourist markets will have an extensive choice across our expanded route network."
From the 12th February there will be two daily return sailings between Dover and Boulogne with a crossing time of 1 hour 45 minutes. One daily round trip will operate between Dover and Dieppe with a crossing time of 4 hours 15 minutes.
Built as recently as 2007, the ships introducing the new services will alternate between the "Seven Sisters" and "Cote d'Albatre", both of which currently operate on the Newhaven - Dieppe route under the Transmanche Ferries name, part of the LD Lines network of ferry routes. The sister ships have capacity for 600 passengers and 300 cars or 52 freight vehicles or combination of both.
The Dover to Dieppe service will be opening new direct tourist and commercial trading links between the South East of England and the Normandy region of France, providing many travelling benefits, as Christophe Santoni explains.
"Freight and tourist customers will be saving 250 km drive time by using this service and the route will create an innovative travel choice for customers whose onward destinations are the West and South West of France and Spain. The service will give them a 4 hour rest period too on board during the crossing, compared to extra hours on the roads en route to regions such as Normandy and Brittany."
For tourist traffic on the Dover to Boulogne route, lead-in fares start from just £24 one way for a car and four passengers and Dover to Dieppe from £29.50 each way for a car and two passengers. Both offers must be booked by the 31st January 2009 via www.ldlines.com or call : 0844 576 8836.
With construction of the Port of Boulogne's new Hub Port Ro Ro terminal well underway, as planned LD Lines will be inaugurating the new berth facilities with the addition of a second ship to the route from the 1st July 2009. Sailings between Dover and Boulogne will then increase from two to six return sailings per day.
LD Lines cross channel ferry service network will now comprise of four routes including Portsmouth - Le Havre ; Newhaven - Dieppe ; Dover - Boulogne and Dover - Dieppe, in addition to a direct ferry service between Le Havre and Rosslare Europort in Southern Ireland.
LD Lines is owned by the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group, a leading French shipowner with over 100 years experience in the shipping industry, operating over 60 ships worldwide.
The company will begin a Dover to Boulogne service almost six months ahead of schedule, from the previously announced 1st July 2009 start date, by introducing a conventional freight and passenger ferry to the route.
Operating from Dover's Eastern Docks and the Port of Boulogne, the ship will utilise the existing berth previously used by the defunct fast ferry operator; SpeedFerries.
"We can clearly identify the strong commercial opportunities for a direct ferry link to be re-established between Dover and Boulogne following the departure of the previous operator and our research shows the demand is there from tourist passengers and freight customers, to bring forward the start date of the service, " says Christophe Santoni, Managing Director LD Lines.
"A profitable ferry service must rely on a combination of passenger and freight business and by introducing a conventional ship to operate between Dover, Boulogne and Dieppe, both freight and tourist markets will have an extensive choice across our expanded route network."
From the 12th February there will be two daily return sailings between Dover and Boulogne with a crossing time of 1 hour 45 minutes. One daily round trip will operate between Dover and Dieppe with a crossing time of 4 hours 15 minutes.
Built as recently as 2007, the ships introducing the new services will alternate between the "Seven Sisters" and "Cote d'Albatre", both of which currently operate on the Newhaven - Dieppe route under the Transmanche Ferries name, part of the LD Lines network of ferry routes. The sister ships have capacity for 600 passengers and 300 cars or 52 freight vehicles or combination of both.
The Dover to Dieppe service will be opening new direct tourist and commercial trading links between the South East of England and the Normandy region of France, providing many travelling benefits, as Christophe Santoni explains.
"Freight and tourist customers will be saving 250 km drive time by using this service and the route will create an innovative travel choice for customers whose onward destinations are the West and South West of France and Spain. The service will give them a 4 hour rest period too on board during the crossing, compared to extra hours on the roads en route to regions such as Normandy and Brittany."
For tourist traffic on the Dover to Boulogne route, lead-in fares start from just £24 one way for a car and four passengers and Dover to Dieppe from £29.50 each way for a car and two passengers. Both offers must be booked by the 31st January 2009 via www.ldlines.com or call : 0844 576 8836.
With construction of the Port of Boulogne's new Hub Port Ro Ro terminal well underway, as planned LD Lines will be inaugurating the new berth facilities with the addition of a second ship to the route from the 1st July 2009. Sailings between Dover and Boulogne will then increase from two to six return sailings per day.
LD Lines cross channel ferry service network will now comprise of four routes including Portsmouth - Le Havre ; Newhaven - Dieppe ; Dover - Boulogne and Dover - Dieppe, in addition to a direct ferry service between Le Havre and Rosslare Europort in Southern Ireland.
LD Lines is owned by the Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group, a leading French shipowner with over 100 years experience in the shipping industry, operating over 60 ships worldwide.
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