APL Temasek's departure time was listed as 0700 so I decided to go to East Cowes to see her sail past, and then get HK Express on her way in.
There were sunny intervals, but it was cold so I stayed in the car, despite my original intentions to leave it in a car park and walk.
And then, after a brief wait, it was the turn of Hong Kong Express. Good-looking ship, too. Shooting into the sun a bit here, though.
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It would appear that, after securing the services of Pride of Calais and renaming her Ostend Spirit, TEF's fortunes were looking brighter. But then their website went down, their schedule went to pieces, being operated on a very ad-hoc basis and no-one could get a straight answer from them as to what was going on.
Unfortunately, things became slightly clearer yesterday when Ostend Spirit suddenly headed from Ramsgate to Tilbury, joining former fleet colleague European Seaway which is also laid up there.
It seems TEF have gone out of, or are on the verge of going out of, business. Their past it old Larkspur (or Larkslow to her enemies) broke down a while ago and has not been repaired - and, to be honest, she should have been on a beach a long time ago - and Gardenia is also old and past it. It was a lop-sided service and it seems TEF could have over-reached themselves when they acquired Pride of Calais/Ostend Spirit as she can't be a cheap ship to charter or run.
It's a shame, for the staff, the two ports and for poor old Pride of Calais, whose own future is now looking far from certain. P&O have taken her back and apparently are looking to sell her as soon as possible. I just hope she doesn't follow Pride of Dover to the beach. I hope TEF can sort themselves out soon but it's not looking good and I can't help feeling they shot themselves in the foot through poor marketing and not getting rid of old Larkspur when they got Pride of Calais.
Also, Oleander and Wisteria (the former Prinses Beatrix/Duc de Normandie) are both reported to have been sold to Russian interests and registered in the Marshall Islands. I am not the only one who is thinking 'beach'...
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*Chicken and mushroom with egg fried rice...well, I hope that's what that says and that I haven't actually said something insulting...
