The shipping company successfully filed for protection from bankruptcy in St Malo yesterday and it has been given a deadline of three months to prove it can move back toward profitability.
It is four million euros in debt and needs to find investors urgently.However, the message today from CI general manager Greg Winch was ‘business as normal’.
The company has confirmed that those holding tickets for journeys until 22 December will definitely be able to travel.After that date, it will be up to a French court-appointed official to decide or not whether Emeraude can stay in business.
Islanders who have booked tickets for sailings through to the end of March will still face uncertainty in the meantime.The bad news for Jersey passengers is that fares have already been increased as the company seeks to cut losses.
And it believes that as rival Condor Ferries runs a limited number of weekly winter sailings, it can safely increase prices to reduce losses.It is also highly likely Emeraude will strongly lobby the transport authorities in Jersey for its monopoly on the Jersey to St Malo route to be reinstated.
