SeaFrance happy to confound doubters

Turbulence in the English Channel has not rocked Robin Wilkins' determination to see SeaFrance become a key player in the market.

After 10 years, he feels a sense of satisfaction that the French-owned operator is just that.

Even though he concedes the present situation is the hardest he has known since its launch in 1996, the French-owned operator is still here.

And that's more than can be said of Hoverspeed.

For all the tough times, a company that, in Mr Wilkins' words, was "rubbished" in 1996, has not only survived but steadily gained market share.

After more than 32,000 cross-Channel sailings in those 10 years, SeaFrance looks secure.

"The forecast for our long-term survival was not very positive," Mr Wilkins admits. "But there was always a desire to see the French flag flying over the Channel."

SeaFrance had shown that, for all the scepticism, the French could offer good standards of service.

Unlike the early days, Mr Wilkins, who joined SeaFrance from Cunard, says he receives very few complaints.

"We've achieved a lot. We've provided serious competition and a viable alternative to the established players."

SeaFrance is celebrating its 10th birthday with a host of promotions and slogans proclaiming "Bon Anniversaire."

Mr Wilkins and his team will be hoping that it will be a lot happier from a financial point of view than last year.

2005 was not great for any of the operators.

SeaFrance made heavy losses, partly due to the damaged linkspan at the Port of Calais that cost SeaFrance around £7m on top of a small loss in 2004. But decent profits in 2003 cushioned the blow.

After years of progress, SeaFrance's passenger market share was flat at 13 per cent (P&O has about 28 per cent, Eurotunnel 44 per cent).

However, freight did better, with SeaFrance market share up from 16 per cent a few years ago to 24 per cent (Eurotunnel 34 per cent, P&O 32 per cent).

Intense competition and a flat passenger market are making life hard for all operators. Yields are low.

In spite of low fares, passengers are not flocking to France in the numbers they once did.

The rising value of the euro, the higher cost of living in France, the scrapping of duty-free are all part of the problem.

And Mr Wilkins points to other reasons low-cost airlines and a "generation gap."

Prague for the weekend sounds more exotic to some than a couple of days in St Omer.

"France seems to be off the radar, particularly a younger generation brought up on a diet of low-cost airlines."

SeaFrance is targeting special interest groups, property owners and promoting France as a great place to take the car.

"We've got to persuade them that taking their car abroad for a holiday or short break is a really fun thing to do."

Amid the 10th anniversary celebrations, Mr Wilkins has no doubt that SeaFrance will be around for another decade.

He says the company has reached the maturing phase of the business.

"We're now in the mood to take it to another level. We are going through a difficult period but we are confident we will emerge from that."