P&O Fleet Movements

[Caoimhin_McGuinnes]

http://photos.marinetraffic.com/ais/showphoto.aspx?photoid=1156370

Photo of the Norbank in Swansea Drydock LTD !

[Alanmac]

Norbay just leaving Belfast Lough now [19.05] after refit at H&W.

[ciaranx33]

The European Highlander returned to Larne yesterday (27th May) after refit, sailing up Belfast Lough after 4pm.  By this morning the European Causeway was in H&W dock.

[Liverpool25]

Norbay will Sevice Her Service From Liverpool to Dublin in The Morning

[Liverpool25]

European Endeavour is Entering Cammel Lairds Dry Dock

[Caoimhin_McGuinnes]

The European Endeavour moving from Liverpool's Gladstone lock to Cammell Laird for repairs which were completed within 24 hours.

Photo Credits to Malcolm Cranfield Posted on MarineTraffic.com!

http://photos.marinetraffic.com/ais/showphoto.aspx?photoid=1238603

[Caoimhin_McGuinnes]

European causeway seems to be due back on her normal dutys tomarrow ! First sailing is her midnight sailing from larne

[CiaranX33]

The European Causeway sailed down Belfast Lough yesterday after 4pm enroute back to Larne, presumably to be in position for the 2359 sailing last night.

[giftgrub]

Some recent images of the European Endeavour in Dublin port here: (first four images from last week) had forgotten it was converted to double deck loading, unlike sister vessel Stena Alegra.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottmackey/sets/72157632007090576/

[HSS]

Those P&O Dublin-Liverpool boats keep going whatever the weather, sometimes in rough seas for up to 8 hours, fair play!

[smallboatowner]

Express left her berth in Belfast this morning and seems to be on trials in Belfast Lough

[smallboatowner]

Ship AIS track https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk2lrwhkc7n77s4/Express.jpg

[Steven]

A few weeks old, but seems all is not going well with P&O on the channel

Eurotunnel subsidiary, MyFerryLink (MFL) and DFDS have eaten away at P&O Ferries' freight traffic on the Dover strait.

The latest monthly figures, for December 2013, show P&O's market share fell to 26.2% compared to 36.7% a year earlier.

For the same month, MFL and DFDS' increased their share of traffic on the Dover-Calais crossing to 9.6% and 10.3% respectively compared to 1.5% and 6.1% in December 2012.

MFL entered the market late-August 2012.

Eurotunnel's share fell from 42.0% to 40.2%

DFDS' Dover-Dunkirk service accounted for 13.6% of the freight carried across the strait in December last year (13.7% in 2012).

The loss of traffic could be attributed to P&O's rivals "conducting a price war at the lower end of the market," a spokesman for P&O Ferries said.

MFL, in particular, can only do this because it is being allowed to trade below cost by Eurotunnel, which is effectively sponsoring a price war in the ferry sector.

"This is something we hope does not escape the attention of the UK Competition Commission (CC) in its current deliberations as such actions make a nonsense of the idea of a level playing field."
The CC is presently reconsidering whether Groupe Eurotunnel's (GET) acquisition of three ferries and other assets from collapsed operator, SeaFrance, which are now operated by MFL, constituted a merger.
This follows a successful legal challenge led by GET to the CC's initial decision which concluded that the acquisition contravened the Enterprise Act 2002.

http://www.lloydsloadinglist.com/freight-directory/sea/mfl-and-dfds-eat-away-at-po-freight/20018097398.htm;.f11b1cefac76ad95c7627468fee9bde7e866d022#.UwZ-1_l_ua8

MFL operating below cost may explain them winning custom from P&O (still the largest ferry player), but doesn't explain why DFDS continue to win share.  Interesting that MFL also appear to be winning (some) custom from Eurotunnel.  Of course the article doesn't mention volumes just market share meaning P&O's volumes could be the same or more but the others have gained new custom.

[Steven]

Borrowed from the dfe forum (not sure if posted here before)

European Endeavour is scheduled to drydock between 17th April 2014-8th May 2014   (22 days in Dry Dock)

[LiverpoolIrishLiam]

Some great pictures of European Endeavour from Scott Mackey. With EE, i'm surprised P&O haven't allowed foot passengers to use their Liverpool - Dublin service. EE is ideal for carrying foot passengers and I think many 'footies' who travel from Liverpool to Holyhead to travel to Dublin would use the service if P&O allowed them. I understand that the company/Peel Ports would have to invest in some port facilities, but it would be worth it. Does anybody else have any thoughts?