The cost of dredging at Ramsgate port will be paid for by potential ferry operator Seaborne Freight.
The firm, which has pledged to launch a Ramsgate/Ostend service by the end of March, says the dredging will begin tomorrow (January 3) but added that the sum being paid was “commercially sensitive.”
Seaborne Freight is one of three firms that has been awarded a government contract – worth in total £107 million – designed to provide extra ferry capacity to UK ports in the event of a no deal Brexit on March 29.
The others are French company Brittany Ferries, receiving £46m and DFDS with an award of £47m. Seaborne was awarded £13.8million although the government says no payment will be made until the service is in operation.
The aim of the awards was to use UK ports to help alleviate pressure on Kent’s roads which would come with a ‘hard border’ and could lead to a backlog of traffic, particularly HGVs, trying to access Dover Port and the Eurotunnel. The ferry firms would add extra crossings to their timetables.
Criticism
But there has been widespread criticism over the Seaborne award because the firm, as yet, has no registered vessels and no track record.
In response to the criticism the Department for Transport has insisted Seaborne Freight had been carefully vetted before being allocated the contract and said the company would be required “to meet a number of rigorous time-staged requirements” before any cash was handed over.
A DfT spokesman told the BBC if an effective ferry service is not running from Ramsgate by March 29 – when the UK exits the European Union – the contract could be cancelled.
Seaborne say the ‘time-staged requirements’ are “varied and multiple throughout the process to launch of service.” A spokesman for the firm said a non-disclosure agreement meant further information could not be released.
Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling has also defended the decision to award the Seaborne contract, telling the BBC: “I make no apologies for supporting a new British business. The reality is that it is a tightly drawn up contract that requires them to deliver.”
Members of Ramsgate Action group had questioned the award of the contract, adding: “It is beyond belief that Chris Grayling could approve handing over £14 million of taxpayers’ money in these circumstances.”
Negotiations
Seaborne Freight said directors and shareholders have been working over the last two years on a business plan to reintroduce the Ramsgate to Ostend ferry service from early 2019.
Despite prolonged negotiations no announcement has yet been made that a deal has been signed with Thanet council for the route. Thanet council says the authority is still “in discussions with Seaborne to establish a freight operation from Ramsgate to Ostend.”
Ostend mayor Bart Tommelein is reported in the Belgian press as saying agreements with the federal government and the police are still needed.
However Seaborne chief executive Ben Sharp is reported in the Financial Times as saying contracts have been signed in Thanet and Belgium and the firm has ‘opportunities’ for a number of vessels.
A service had been mooted to start in March last year but the date came -and went – with no sign of progress.
Vessels
At the weekend Seaborne issued a statement to say two ships would be running on the Ramsgate/Ostend route by the end of March, with four vessels by the Summer.
The Seaborne spokesman today said the firm would not yet be releasing details of the vessels to be used, adding: “We are not commenting on the vessels, either those for the launch or those for introduction at a later stage,” due to “commercial sensitivities.”
The port cannot currently accommodate the larger cross-Channel ferries due to the restricted size of facilities.
There has not been a cross-Channel operation at Ramsgate since the collapse of TransEuropa in 2013 which left Thanet council owed an unpaid debt of £3.4 million accrued by the ferry firm in port fees.
Companies House
According to Companies House records Seaborne has declared fixed assets of £35,169, shares totalling £53, debtors amount due within one year of £6,364 and creditors amount due within one year of £416,607.
What a generous lot! Offering to pay to dredge the port using their own hard-earned cash. Oh! Wait! WE–the taxpayers– will be paying to dredge the silt out of the port, because WE, via the government ,have donated millions of pounds to this “No ship, no experience” company. And it’s all due to start immediately! Which is rather strange as all the money from the government was supposed to be just a contingency in case a “No Deal Brexit” was left as the only option and the worst effects had to be offset.
But “No deal” isn’t guaranteed , yet. We still have lots of options including the Theresa May “Fudge Deal”, any other deal Labour might arrange if elected, a Peoples Vote…any number of options before going “over the cliff” with No Deal.
So why the rush?
Perhaps because the “No Ferry” Ferry company would actually like to have the port dredged at public expense so that they can start up a new channel ferry business as they always intended. With no costs to them of investing in the port first. Sounds a bit dodgy to me. Isn’t this government supposed to believe in “Free Enterprise” without government support? Yet they seem able to find a few million quid to bung to this mystery company to help them get going. You would almost think that the company might have no ships and no experience but is owned by a close relative of a millionaire donor to the Tory Party. Wouldn’t you?
Two different people are listed as CEO of Seaborne depending on where you look for information – Jean-Michel Copyans and founder Ben Sharp. Their website https://seabornefreight.com/ is void of much info except that it is currently operating between Ramsgate and Ostend and drivers should check in 45 minutes before scheduled departure, although no timetable has been established! This will come as news to TDC and residents in Thanet as a ferry service hasn’t been seen here for years!
Two different business people are listed as CEO of Seaborne depending on where you look for information – Jean-Michel Copyans and founder Ben Sharp. Their website https://seabornefreight.com/ is void of much info except that it is currently operating between Ramsgate and Ostend and drivers should check in 45 minutes before scheduled departure, although no timetable has been established! This will come as news to TDC and residents in Thanet as a ferry service hasn’t been seen here for years!
Why does Belgium ( the other end!) Not seem to have any idea or have been consulted!This is a silly statement and an embarrassing waste of money.BIG ( and I am not TRUMP!) question who is Seaborne Freight??with no money OR experience
Hi Kent Resident,
Check out the Maritime Law company that shares the same London Office as Seabourne. Then check out who owns that Law company and then compare the surname to one of the biggest donors to Tory Party coffers.
The whole thing stinks higher than the Russian cash used to fund the Brexit campaign.
Very useful info, thank you. They are a shady pair those JCB brothers
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-politics-jcb-specialreport/special-report-top-uk-industrialist-channelled-millions-through-obscure-company-idUKKBN0ML0Z820150325
I take note that NONE of the detractors of this award to Seabourne – a British company – have not raised an eyebrow to the near 4 times amounts awarded to two non-British companies. The irony of all this is staggering! – am I the only one that thinks so??
I take note that NONE of the detractors of this award to Seabourne – a British company – have not raised an eyebrow to the near 4 times amounts awarded to two non-British companies. The irony of all this is staggering! – am I the only one that thinks so??
I take note that NONE of the detractors of this award to Seabourne – a British company – have raised an eyebrow to the near 4 times the amounts awarded to two non-British companies. The irony of all this is staggering! – am I the only one that thinks so??
The irony occurs because the two non-British firms involved BOTH have a long track record of running ferries. The one British-based firm has no such track record but gets offered loads of dosh anyway. Is this the future for our “newly-invigorated, post Brexit ” economy? Where you just have to be British-based to get support, regardless of competence. But the people who actually know what they are doing are given second-class status because they are horrible foreigners, even(horrors!) immigrants!
Doesn’t this point the way to corruption, nepotism and inefficiency, where jobs and money go to part of a charmed inner-circle of interlocking families and business interests, a bit like Putin’s Russia? A Britain that trades internationally but where the politicians urge the population to only think nationally and to support their “own” oligarchs.
By the way, I am not totally opposed to a new Ramsgate to Ostend crossing as long as all local interests are catered for. I might even use it myself. But we need a totally clean arrangement to run it.
Mr Laming – the non-British companies at least have a track record and assets. The process of awarding them contracts also stinks as it has not followed due process, but at least they have a reputable operation.
Any sign of the dredging starting today?
Love a conspiracy theory, and proper investigative journalism, but wouldn’t it be great to have a successful company at the port again..?
Now Seaborne day they are paying for port dredging. Yeah, right! When asked about costs, replied “commercially sensitive”. Of course it is! This is always the answer when the deal is dodgy. Come on Grayling – what is the real deal??
The following is from Seabourne Freight’s Terms and Conditions on their website- it looks as though they lifted it from a fast food delivery company….
Placing an order
Seaborne Freight (UK) Limited will make its best efforts to deal with third parties that are reputable, reliable and provide quality products and services. However Seaborne Freight (UK) Limited does not accept responsibility or liability for the quality or quantity of any goods served, delivered by or collected from any third parties. It is the responsibility of the customer to thoroughly check the supplied goods before agreeing to pay for any meal/order.
It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure delivery address details are correct and detailed enough for the delivery driver to locate the address in adequate time. You must always provide a valid contact number and email when ordering online. Please provide additional delivery instructions in the relevant section on our checkout page. In the event that your address cannot be found, undelivered orders will be chargeable.
Please make sure the email address you provide is correct and your mailbox is in proper working order, as all correspondence regarding your order is sent to this address.
Users are prohibited from making false orders through our website. The use of cookies are used to monitor I.P. addresses as stated in our privacy policy in order to blacklist any computers which Seaborne Freight (UK) Limited suspects of being used to commit false delivery requests. Seaborne Freight (UK) Limited reserves the right to seek compensation through legal action for any losses incurred as the result of hoax delivery requests and will prosecute to the full extent of the law.
Delivery charges are calculated per order and based on [delivery details here]. Any delivery charges will be displayed clearly in your order summary.
Dear all,
Firstly I would agree to both businesses, one,the return of Manston Airport and Ramsgate Ferry Port,both are long overdue, Sally Line Ferries and her parent company.
one ship I believe for about 6 months before getting another ship and started running a excellent service !,
The down full of Sally was Thanet District Council not letting her berth between January and February with no fees to sustain the winter months she was very successful for a number of years, Thanet District Council needs to get there in House in order before we can go forward in Thanet!,
I’m a MD successful businessman for over 39 years in Ramsgate with the ups and downs of the economy, that’s life. So as I see it from my perspective let’s hope that both work out,as this will be excellent for all of the Thanet, Dover, and Canterbury, people having to enjoy and work for them both,if i had the chance or the money to do something like this i would not hesitate,as it’s about prosperity for the future.