No-deal Brexit ferry company owns no ships and has never run Channel service

[T_i_B]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/30/no-deal-brexit-ferry-company-owns-no-ships-and-has-never-run-ferry-service

One of the companies contracted by the government to charter ferries in the event of a no-deal Brexit does not own any ships, has not previously operated a ferry service and is not planning to do so until close to the UK’s scheduled departure date from the European Union, it has emerged.

Concerns have been raised about Seaborne Freight, which was awarded a £13.8m contract to operate freight ferries from Ramsgate to the Belgian port of Ostend if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, after a councillor for the Kent town queried whether it would be possible to set up the new service by the scheduled Brexit date.

The contract is one of three agreements worth a total of £107.7m signed by the government without a tendering process to help ease “severe congestion” at Dover by securing extra lorry capacity. Seaborne hopes to operate freight ferries from Ramsgate from late March, beginning with two ships and increasing to four by the end of the summer.

Seaborne was established two years ago and has been in negotiations about running freight ferries between Ramsgate and Ostend, but no services are currently running. Narrow berths in the port mean there are few suitable commercial vessels available.

[nycbos]

1. Imagine how far Labour would be ahead in the polls if they had a different leader.

[Indykatie]

2. A Missed Opportunity

Jeremy "Bernie" Corbyn made a historic blunder by not opposing Brexit. He is the wrong leader at the wrong time for a party with so much diversity. He comes off as being out of touch and lacking a real appreciation and connection to the people aligned with the Labour party. Too many voters are willing to tolerate May because they see him as being even worse.

[nycbos]

3. I watch prime minsters questions from time to time.

And May just wipes the floor with him.

[T_i_B]

4. Ramsgate 'can not be ready' for Brexit ferries

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46774054

The Port of Ramsgate "can not be ready" for extra ferry services in the event of a no-deal Brexit, according to the councillor for the harbour area.

Seaborne Freight has been given a £13.8m contract to run a freight service between Ramsgate and Ostend in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

However, Conservative councillor Beverly Martin says the harbour can not be ready by Brexit on 29 March. "From local knowledge, there is terrific concern that we [Ramsgate Port] can not possibly by ready. There isn't the width or the breadth of the berths that is needed to carry large ships," the councillor said."I don't see how, with the state of the harbour and the port and the number of repairs that are needed that it could be ready."
No emails

Ms Martin also said there had been no contact with the council about opening the harbour for larger freight ships.
"We didn't have any notification of any this at our council meeting on 6

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Mind you, if they don't have any ships, they could be proposing leasing a small one

as long as they have the headroom for the magnetic delivery sign on top of the cars ...