THE port of Sheerness is set to play a pivotal role in a new "motorway of the seas" that promises super-fast ferries bringing visitors to the 2012 Olympic Games.

Sheerness has been identified as a strategic point of entry for the Games following a shipping company’s order for five Bateaux a Grande Vitesse (BGV).

Chikara Shipping International has signed a letter of intent for the purchase of the high-speed trimarans that can accommodate both passengers and roll-on roll-off freight and other vehicles.

The stainless steel fast jet cargo carriers, with speeds of up to 34 knots, will operate on several routes on the English Channel as well as the North Sea. Smaller versions can carry 94 trailers, with larger ones able to take 174 trailers, or 1,500 passengers, 250 cars and 10 coaches.

Boulogne is set to become a hub port, and the Boulogne Chamber of Commerce is investing more than £13m in a new berth. The journey time between Boulogne and Sheerness will take two hours

Initially, the ports of Boulogne, Sheerness, Dramman (Norway), Santander (Spain) and Vigo (Spain) will be linked together in the provision of a high speed European-wide network.

Further ports are scheduled to be included as the programme develops. The port of Dover hopes to be one of them.

The project, which could create up to 2,000 jobs across Europe, is part of a wider plan that could revolutionise the movement of both people and cargo in a way that Chikara claims is both environmentally friendly and cost effective.

Chikara is so confident of success, that it already has an option to buy four more BGV. The service is planned to start by 2008.

"This is excellent news for the future development of the Port of Boulogne as the only French port to be involved in the revolutionary BGV project," said Francis Leroy, president of the Boulogne Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"We are convinced that the BGV service can attract road hauliers between the countries it will operate to and from, notably for the transport of fish, seafood and fresh produce.

"We also believe that this is an important way to support EU initiatives to move some freight cargo from the roads."