| Industry | Passenger transportation |
|---|---|
| Fate | Dissolved |
| Predecessor | Seaspeed & Hoverlloyd |
| Founded | October 25, 1981 |
| Defunct | November 7, 2005 |
| Headquarters | Dover, United Kingdom |
| Area served | English Channel |
| Key people | Geoffrey Ede, Managing Director |
| Parent | Sea Containers |
Hoverspeed, formed in 1981 by the merger of Seaspeed and Hoverlloyd, was a ferry company that operated on the English Channel from 1981 until 2005.
The last owners were Sea Containers Ltd; the company ran a small fleet of two high-speed SeaCat Catamaran ferries in its final year.
Hoverspeed is notable for its part in developing the hovercraft, and ran six SR.N4 Mountbatten class hovercraft and one SEDAM N500 Naviplane. Hoverspeed last operated hovercraft on its Dover to Calais service. They were withdrawn on 1 October 2000 and replaced by Seacat catamarans.
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Throughout its history Hoverspeed has operated several routes. These were:
Hoverspeed briefly ran services from Ramsgate Pegwell Bay Hoverport in 1982 which had been the base of Hoverlloyd hovercraft services.
In service with Hoverspeed 1990 - 1991, 1993–2000 and 2002 - 2003. Left fleet in 2003, laid up.
Operated for Hoverspeed under several names, she was renamed Seacat Boulogne in 1993, transferred to the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company (IOMSPC) as Seacat Isle of Man in 1994 but returned under that name to Hoverspeed in 1996 and 1997. In 1996 renamed Seacat Norge and chartered to ColorSeacat, a joint venture between Sea Containers Ltd and Color Line. Renamed Seacat Isle of Man again in 1997 and had her final season with Hoverspeed on the Dover - Calais route in 1998 before returning to IOMSPC as Seacat Isle of Man. In 2005 she was chartered to Irish Sea Express and renamed Sea Express 1 for the duration. The charter ended later that year and she reverted to Steam Packet service. On February 3, 2007 she collided with the Alaska Rainbow in thick fog off in the River Mersey, sustaining severe damage to her Starboard hull. Over 2007 she was laid up and latterly repaired. She was renamed Snaefell in December 2007 and prepared for service in 2008 for the Steam Packet.
In service with Hoverspeed 1991 - 1992, 1993–1994, 1996–1997 and 1997 - 1998. Left fleet in 1998, sold.
Was renamed Hoverspeed Boulogne before entering service in 1992. In 1993 she was transferred to Sea Containers Ltd route from Frederikshavn to Göteborg as Seacatamaran Danmark, this was shortened to Seacat Danmark in 1994. Up to 1997 she provided overhall cover on various Hoverspeed and Sea Containers Ltd ferry routes but remained on Dover - Calais between 2000 to 2003. She was transferred to SNAV in a joint venture with Sea Containers Ltd initially as Pescara Jet but is now named Zara Jet.
In service with Hoverspeed 1991 - 1993, 1996–1997 and 2000 - 2003. Left fleet in 2003, laid up.
Operated for Hoverspeed in 1992 on the Folkestone - Boulogne route and in 1993 on Dover - Calais along with the Folkestone service. Renamed Seacat Calais in mid-1993 before being chartered out in late 1993. She returned to Hoverspeed in 1999 and ran on the Dover-Calais service. In 2000 she moved to the SNAV/Sea Containers Ltd joint venture as Croazia Jet before again returning to Hoverspeed in 2002 as Seacat France. She was chartered by Emeraude Ferries as Emeraude France for two months in 2005. She was sold to an unknown buyer for a reported US $2 million in February 2007 though has not yet departed her Tilbury lay-up. She was found to be sold to Maritime Charter Sales of Douglas, Isle of Man. She is to be used on the Isle of Man Steam Packet's routes starting Monday 12 March 2007.
In service with Hoverspeed 1992 - 1993, 1999–2000, 2002 and 2004 - 2005. Left fleet in 2005. Sold in 2007 and currently on charter.
Built for Sea Containers Ltd Stranraer - Belfast SeaCat service, which in 2000 changed to Belfast - Troon which is only 30 minutes from Glasgow, the service closing altogether, on Monday 1 November 2004. SeaCat Scotland left Belfast seemingly for ever on Thursday 28 November 2002 at 0600. She has operated for Hoverspeed on the Dover - Calais route in 1992, 2003 and 2004.
In service with Hoverspeed 2003 - 2004. Left fleet in 2004, sold in 2007. Now named Al Huda I.
Four Superseacats were order by Hoverspeed's parent company Sea Containers Ltd after the original Superseacat design built by Austal Ships failed to meet the speed required.
In service with Hoverspeed 1999 - 2004. Left fleet in 2004, chartered.
In serviced with Hoverspeed 1997, 1999 and 2001. Left fleet in 2001, sold.
In service with Hoverspeed 2001. Left fleet in 2001, returned to SeaCat.
After years of losses due to strong competition and the Channel Tunnel link, Hoverspeed announced that they would cease operations on the Dover-Calais route, ending over 40 years of service. The last ferry run was on November 7, 2005.
It was initially thought that both the 81m Seacats would move to Sea Containers Mediterranean services; however in March 2006 both the Seacat Rapide and Seacat Diamant were put up for sale by Sea Containers. Superseacat One which had operated for Hoverspeed on its now closed Newhaven - Dieppe (2000 and 2002–2004) and Dover - Calais / Ostend (2001) fast ferry services was sold in April 2006 to Acciona Trasmediterránea and was renamed Almudaina Dos. Although the company ended Hovercraft service, they still retained ownership of the remaining 2 SRN 4 until 2006 when they were sold to Wensley Haydon-Baillie. They currently reside at the Hovercraft Museum in HMS Daedalus and are open to offers.
Since the closure of Hoverspeed in 2005, the Dover Hoverport had remained unused until SpeedFerries moved to the site from the Eastern Docks. They operated from the hoverport to Boulogne from Easter 2007 until November 2008 when SpeedFerries went into administration and their services ceased. The hoverport site then lay abandoned for the second time in its thirty year history until demolition of the site began in May 2009 in preparation for the redevelopment of the Western Docks and a new Cruise Terminal. Except Calais hoverport (which itself remains abandoned and subject to demolition), all the cross Channel hoverports have now been lost.
Two companies have announced their intentions to operate services to replace Hoverspeed.
Navmed Limited planned to operate a Seacat service to Calais, Boulogne and Ostend. Navmed had planned to start operations on the May 15, 2006 but as of April 2006 do not have any vessels or berthing slots in Dover. Navmed had made attempts to purchase the Canadian ferry Spirit of Ontario I but the owners were in serious negotiations with another buyer which later turned out to be Euroferries.
The Dover Express newspaper reported on 13 April 2006 that Navmed would no longer be involved in the attempt to run a replacement service. Instead Illinois Chikara Holdings plans to run service under a brand new name yet to be released.
Navmed featured in 2 October 2006 edition of the BBC South East program 'Inside Out' [3] where it was revealed that their backers had pulled out and the company had yet to pay many staff that it employed in its short life. Another edition of Inside Out on the 25 April 2008 featured Chikara Holdings again [4].
Euroferries Limited are also attempting to launch a service to replace those of Hoverspeed. Led by former Hoverspeed boss Geoffrey Ede the company intends to run services between Dover and Calais and Dover and Boulogne in competition with SpeedFerries but not as a budget operator. It was thought likely that former Hoverspeed vessels Rapide and Diamant were to be used by this company should it actually begin operations. In May 2006 it was announced that the company had been successful in its attempts to purchase the Spirit of Ontario I, they were to pay $29.8 million for the vessel. She was expected to be deployed on the Dover-Boulogne route. The ship, which was owned by the City of Rochester, New York, had received 7 bids for the vessel. Mayor Duffy of Rochester said Euroferries' bid was the highest of seven bids that they took seriously. Shortly after the announcement of the sale WHEC-TV stated that the fast ferry would move to the UK "no later than June 21st". This did not happen.
By October 2006 Euroferries had yet to pay for the Spirit of Ontario I and the City of Rochester had begun to look to other buyers. Euroferries also featured in a BBC South East Inside Out investigation [5].
It was announced on 17 March 2007 that the City of Rochester had run of patience with Euroferries and cut off active negotiations [6]. Two other potential buyers were reported to be interested in the vessel. The vessel was eventually sold to FRS Iberia S.L. Euroferries claim that they were unable to complete the purchase of the vessel due to UK port restrictions, the maritime press however reported that they did not have the finance available to purchase the ship.
Euroferries claim they are currently evaluating other alternative fast ferries which they believe will be able to commence service on their proposed route from Dover to Calais and Boulogne during the course of summer 2007, with an additional vessel to commence service during 2008 [7]. As of June 2007 there has been no sign of a service commencing.
Euroferries announced at the beginning of 2009 that they were going to be running a service from Ramsgate to Boulogne and that the service would commence in the Spring of 2009. After long delays it was announced on the 31st July 9 [8] that the service would start in September 9 using the Bonanza Express which is owned by Fred Olsen and has been used in the Canaries. The 'Bonanza Express' is at the moment back in dry dock in the Canaries and so we must wait and see if the service does start or it goes the way of the 2007 proposed operation from Dover.
Euroferries are accepting reservations and payments on their website for July 2010 even though there still isn't evidence of a service being provided on the RAMSGATE to BOULOGNE route.