Transeuropa Ferries

Transeuropa Ferries
IndustryFreight and passenger transportation
PredecessorSally Line
Founded21 November 1998
Defunct25 April 2013
FateBankrupt
HeadquartersOstend, Belgium
Area served
English Channel
ParentTranseuropa Shipping Lines d.o.o.
Websitewww.transeuropaferries.com
Transeuropa ferry Oleander approaching Ostend on 2 August 2005.
Transeuropa ferry Larkspur leaving Ostend in 2006
Transeuropa ferry Eurovoyager leaving Ostend in August 2005
Ferry Ostend Spirit (formerly Pride of Calais) in the harbor of Ostend, December 2012

TransEuropa Ferries was a freight and passenger ferry company operating between Ramsgate, Kent, UK and Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium from 1998 to 2013, with three or more ships. The company suspended operations on 18 April 2013, and on 25 April 2013 the line filed to initiate bankruptcy procedures.[1]

History

TransEuropa Shipping Lines d.o.o. (TSL) of Koper, Slovenia[2] started a ro-ro freight ferry service between Ramsgate and Ostend on 21 November 1998 following the closure of Sally Line's services and the purchase of assets of Regie voor Maritiem Transport from the Belgian government. TSL's Belgian subsidiary TransEuropa Ferries NV was founded on 1 June 2001 to take over the cross-channel operation.[3]

On 20 July 2004 TransEuropa started a car and passenger ferry service from Ostend to Ramsgate to supplement their existing freight service. Foot passengers were not catered for on this crossing, which typically took four to five hours.[4] Between 2010 and 2011 TransEuropa Ferries operated a joint service on the route with LD Lines.

The company operated via a direct sales channel, declining to sell through travel agents.

On 18 April 2013 the company stopped sailing and on 25 April is filed for bankruptcy[1]

Former Fleet

Vessel In Service Status
Larkspur 1999–2013 Laid up after TEF Bankruptcy, scrapped in 2016.
Gardenia 2002–2013 Laid up after TEF Bankruptcy, scrapped in 2016.
Ostend Spirit 2013 Scrapped in 2013.
Laburnum 1993–2003 Scrapped in 2011.
Wisteria 1995–2000 Scrapped in 2007.
Primrose 1998–2010 Scrapped in 2011.
Eurovoyager 1998–2010 Scrapped in 2012.
Roseanne 1999–2003 Became Strofades IV with m.c.c.l.; scrapped 2011 after a kidnapping incident.
Oleander 2001–2010 Became Sherbatskiy with Acciona, scrapped 2015.
Begonia 2002–2005 Now Via Mare.
Wisteria 2005–2006 Became Vronskiy with Acciona. Scrapped in 2021.
Ostende Spirit 2010–2011 Now Isle of Innisfree for Irish Ferries Calais.

References

  1. ^ a b "Ramsgate staff told to go home as TransEuropa Ferries plunged into administration". Kent Online. 26 April 2013. Archived from the original on 30 April 2013.
  2. ^ "ShiipingData.com: Transeuropa Shipping Lines". Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  3. ^ "Website TransEuropa Ferries – History (page offline as operations stopped on 18-4-2013". Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Port of Ostend News – 'Larkspur' sets sail for her official maiden trip on the new passenger service Oostende-Ramsgate". 20 July 2004. Retrieved 4 May 2009.

Bibliography

  • Smith, Dean (2015). The TransEuropa Years: 1998–2013. Ramsey, Isle of Man: Ferry Publications. ISBN 9781906608781.