Seafrance

SeaFrance was a ferry company based in France, it was a wholly owned subsidiary of the nationalised railway operator SNCF. It operated ferry services between Calais, France, and Dover, England. SeaFrance commenced operations between Dover and Calais in 1996 following the ending of the Sealink pooling agreement with Stena聽Line in late 1995.

During its 15 years of operation the company witnessed the introduction of three new vessels, however, it was also to witness increasing financial losses and deepening industrial unrest with its employees and the powerful trade unions.

On the 15/11/11, the company suspended operations pending a decision in Paris in regards to its future. On the 16/11/11, the Paris commercial court ordered the liquidation of SeaFrance, with the provision that trading could continue until the 28/01/12, however, ferry operations ceased immediately.

Administrators were appointed to sell the business but on the 09/01/12 the Commercial Court in Paris announced their final decision to liquidate SeaFrance with the loss of 1,850 jobs.

The assets of the former Seafrance were later sold to Groupe Eurotunnel (GET) who in turn chartered the vessels to a co-operative of ex Seafrance employees, SCOP (soci茅t茅 coop茅rative et participative) Seafrance, to enable them to recommence ferry operation from Calais to Dover, trading as MyFerryLink.

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