Plans for a new ferry service from a Kent port have been questioned by the mayor of a Belgium town after a fact finding visit to the county.

Mayor of Ostend Bart Tommelien held talks yesterday with Thanet District Council and Kent County Council, along with representatives of Seaborne Freight, the company hoping to operate a service.

After the talks, the mayor said he remained concerned about the company, which was controversially awarded a £13.8 million contract from the government despite owning no ferries and never having run a crossing.

Mr Tommelien said he was worried it was unable to offer any financial guarantees that would safeguard the authorities from any risks.

He said: "Seaborne could not offer us any clear guarantees. Our reservations have not been taken away. There is no certainty about the ships, the finances and the guarantees for the Ostend harbour.”

He said Ostend was “positive” about the idea but tweeted after his visit that cast-iron guarantees about the financing of any service were needed.

“We are positive about a possible connection and want to take the necessary steps, but not without financial guarantees.

"We had a healthy suspicion, and rightly so. These financial guarantees are necessary to ensure that we are not left with a financial hangover in the port if the company goes bankrupt. "

Seaborne Freight has been awarded a £13.8m contract to provide a service between the two towns as part of the government’s contingency plans in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

It has also been in talks with Thanet council about operating a service from the port on a long-term basis.

Mr Tommelien said: “All risks must be covered. We cannot allow a ferry line out of nostalgic considerations. We have to weigh everything.”

He also expressed concerns about the prospects of migrants trying to cross the channel to the UK gathering in the town. His comments were reported in Belgium media after yesterday’s talks.

The company is currently dredging the port to enable ferries to berth and has insisted that it will be ready to operate an emergency service by the time the UK leave the EU at the end of March.

The government has faced questions about the contract for Seaborne, which was offered it without a competitive tendering process.

The Department of Transport has said that due diligence checks were made on the company.