Brittany Ferries Boss ‘Regains Control’ over Seized Ferry

The Chairman of the Brittany Ferries Jean-Marc Roue lead a raid to liberate a ferry in Ouistreham harbour, Calvados that was blocked since Wednesday night by striking dockworkers.

The company’s president is reported to had been joined by 20 shareholders from a farming cooperative that hold shares in the ferry company.

The unprecedented rescue operation has resulted in freeing of the Mont-St-Michel ferry.

“An over-night operation on Saturday by a score of company shareholders has freed the ferry,” Agence France Presse quoted an official statement from the company.

As informed, the ship steamed to Roscoff where it arrived on Sunday.

The dockers launched a strike on Wednesday demanding wage increase of 5 %. However, the demand is “unnacceptable” for Brittany Ferries as the company is facing a tough financial situation.

“The management had just completed the annual salary negotiating round under which a ‘fair wage adjustment had been agreed for all ocean-going and shore-side employees’.

“The ‘liberation’ raid sums up the anger felt by Brittany Ferries shareholders after the ship was taken hostage”, the AFP cited the company as saying.

Responding to an email by World Maritime News seeking comment, Brittany Ferries said: “We don’t have any comment to make on this, apart from to say that the dockers’ strike action has now ended and talks are underway. Services on our Portsmouth/Caen route will resume tomorrow morning.”

World Maritime News Staff