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Council ‘missed chance to seize TransEuropa ferry’

[ January 24, 2014   //   ]

Thanet council failed to seize a vessel belong to bankrupt Ramsgate-Ostend ferry operator TransEuropa because its legal officer was away from his desk, according to http://www.thisiskent.co.uk. The website said that the council’s TransEuropa debt review group heard that harbour master Robert Brown called the council’s legal officer Harvey Patterson about the opportunity to charge the Spirit of Ostend on 17 April last year but he did not pick up his phone. By the time he returned the call, the ship had sailed for Tilbury, Monday’s meeting heard.

A day later TransEuropa suspended operations and went into administration on 25 April 2, owing Thanet council £3.4 million in unpaid port fees. The vessel then sailed to Turkey for scrapping in October.

The website quoted Councillor Richard Nicholson as saying: “I can’t for the life of me fathom why that ship was allowed to leave because it was plain to everyone what was about to happen and it did happen.”

 

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