by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Three ships previously operated by SeaFrance, the liquidated ferry operator, are poised to return to cross-Channel operations under the name My Ferry Link and the promise of 70 jobs in Kent.

But next month’s announced launch date might be delayed by competition concerns.

Existing operators P&O and DFDS/LD Lines have sent objections to the UK’s Office of Fair Trading and its French counterpart over the ship purchase and lease deal with Eurotunnel.

The ships - Berlioz, Rodin and Nord-Pas de Calais - were bought by Eurotunnel and leased to a new company comprising a co-operative founded by former SeaFrance workers.

After languishing in the port of Calais for the past nine months, they are being refitted in Dunkirk.

"They should be able to sail again around mid-August depending on maintenance time," said Jean-Michel Giguet, managing director of the new company.

M Giguet said he had chosen an English name for the ferry company "simply because the majority of the clientele Channel traffic is from Great Britain".

However, it will operate under a blue, white and red logo reflecting the colours of the French flag.

The new company is creating nearly 600 jobs, with 520 in France and 70 in Dover. Around 120 have been hired so far, with priority going to former SeaFrance employees.

But P&O spokesman Chris Laming said the Dover-based operator did not think the new operation would be viable without a subsidy.

"We don’t think they can make a profit by any other means," he said. "We think the August timeframe is ambitious, considering they have only employed about a quarter of the people."

Eurotunnel insisted it was a "level playing field" deal that should not cause any delay to the August launch.

The Berlioz and Rodin are expected to make four return crossings a day, and the freight ferry Nord-Pas de Calais, making three.

My Ferry Link is aiming for an 8% market share, lower than the 18% achieved by SeaFrance before its demise.