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LD Lines announced yesterday that its Dover to Boulogne ferry service will cease operations from 5th September 2010.  The company is currently considering the continuation of freight services, but has confirmed that the passenger services will be withdrawn.

One of the ships from the route, Norman Bridge, had already been reallocated to start a new route from Saint Nazaire (Loire-atlantique) to Gijon in Northern Spain from 7 September.  LD Lines' press release confirms that the remaining ship will no longer operate Dover to Boulogne sailings.

LD Lines’ Managing Director, Christophe Santoni, said : 
“Whilst we are disappointed to have to announce the ending of a tourist passenger service between Dover and Boulogne, as the addition of a second ship has not generated the extra traffic volumes we had hoped for, we will continue to explore every option to try and maintain some form of ferry service to Boulogne.”

He added : “A return to profitability can only be achieved for the ferry industry by adjusting supply to demand, increasing prices and market consolidation. Whilst there remains huge over-capacity on the Dover Strait, we are addressing this issue now by looking to see if such a revamped service is economically sustainable, despite a continually difficult trading climate.”

Passengers booked on the service up until 5th September will be unaffected and passengers booked after this date will be offered alternative sailings and compensated with travel offers for future channel crossings.

LD’s other routes; Portsmouth – Le Havre, Newhaven – Dieppe and Ramsgate – Ostend are all operating as normal.

For more information, visit the LD Lines website.

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