by Graham Tutthill

Another 725 jobs are to go at SeaFrance - but none will be on this side of the Channel, the company has announced.

The cuts, out of a total workforce of around 1,600, come as a new request is made to a French court to change the company’s status from the safeguard procedure to “redressment judiciaire” or administration.

The initial rescue plan for SeaFrance envisaged 482 redundancies, but that was halted when the cross-Channel ferry operator was given French court protection.

On Monday, June 14, the company issued a statement in which it said a complete re-evaluation of its position had been undertaken and a new reorganisation plan had been produced.

“The new plan involves adjustments to the schedule to closely fit capacity to anticipated demand, it revises the onboard facilities and the customer offer and will result in the return to long-term profitability of the company in due course.

“The company will operate three multi-purpose ferries, supplemented by the SeaFrance Nord-Pas de Calais ship to offer services when there is demand.

“A complete review of staffing, both ashore and onboard, has been undertaken and the plan results in 725 posts in France being declared redundant, the vast majority of which will be sea-going personnel.

“Due to the company’s treasury resources and the consequent need for quick implementation of the plan, the company has applied to the Tribunal de Commerce to convert its status from the “safeguard” procedure to “redressment judiciaire”, in other words administration, until the plan is implemented and refinancing is completed.”