SpeedFerries

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SpeedOne - a high-speed wavepiercer catamaran at Dover Eastern Docks

SpeedFerries is a low cost ferry operator which started in 2004. It operates one route between Dover in England and Boulogne in France. It currently has only one high-speed ferry, called SpeedOne. Its founder and CEO is Curt Stavis, originally from Denmark.

SpeedFerries is the first low cost ferry operator in the English Channel, and has faced considerable opposition from the existing ferry operators, whom SpeedFerries accuses of acting unfairly and using illegal practices. These allegations include blocking berths to prevent ferries docking, spying, and hoax bomb scares. In response SpeedFerries liveried their ship with 'Fight the Pirates' on the side.

In January 2005 the company was featured in the BBC's Trouble at the Top programme: the edition's name was "Fight the Pirates".

Reports in the maritime press ^[1] indicated that SpeedFerries had secured a second vessel for use in 2007 which was likely to be the Mastercat, a 91m Incat catamaran which was to be replaced with a larger vessel by its current owners, Master Ferries. However, Master Ferries were unable to secure the larger vessel so Mastercat was no longer available to SpeedFerries. Sailings to be operated by the second vessel were advertised on the SpeedFerries website but have been removed.

In February 2007, SpeedFerries signed a lease on the former Hoverport,though not the terminal building, at Dover's Western Docks^[2], and subsequently the SpeedFerries operation moved there in March 2007. Now the move is achieved, SpeedFerries is able to provide exclusive facilities in both its ports as it no longer shares them with other operators.