Mezeron & Steam Packet Master Thread

[ian rush]

Let's not forget Mezeron is not a like-for-like competitor.

 

It's simply creamed off / challenged the best part of the IoMSPCo business (containerised freight) with none of the other commitments to non-freight that the User Agreement entails (or indeed the linkspan usage charges of the UA).

 

Outcomes:

 

either UA agreement re-written / increased pier charges for LO-LO charged by IoM Govt

 

and/or

 

services cut to UA minimum with attendant local job losses; lose a fastcraft over the summer.

[Lost Login]

think that critisism should be directed at the SP or its owners rather than just its public face

No, he's the one whose job it is to justify this so he's the one to, er, discuss any subsequent points with.

 

I accept that to an extent but equally I thought the suggestion that MW should get of his back side and put the SP in alternative markets and routes and because he has not he is a dork, I paraphrase, was OTT as I do not think that he would have had the power to make decisions.

[kevster]

Sorry I digress, kevster it's from Caen - Pompey

 

Well they can afford to do it cheap because they carry a lot more frieght that the SP and as has been mentioned, the profits from freight subsidise the passenger fares.

 

People are expensive to move in ferries. They want space, bars, shops, restaurants, and so on. You also need a lot more crew members to look after them. Freight on the other hand is cheap and easy to move. It uses the available space efficiently and doesn't need pampering en route.

[ballaughbiker]

Agreed LL and Frances, I agree with what you say about the staff. I feel very sorry for them if this gets out of hand. That however does not alter the fact that if the CEO comes on the media giving a very polarised and oblique view as some sort of justification for trying to frighten everyone, that he should not then be a target for criticism.

 

ell they can afford to do it cheap because they carry a lot more frieght that the SP

Sure kevster, that's obvious but one wonders why people choose to route freight via Brittany rather than all the other x- channel carriers. Reasonable pricing maybe? Let's not start feeling sorry for the SP. Imo they are one of the main causes that the cost of living is so high on the island and that affect everyone but not in an equal way. Just wondered, do you work for them then......? Edited November 2, 2010 by ballaughbiker

[Blade Runner]

- history would appear to show that the Island's traffic is not enough to keep two companies in business, especially for a reliable PAX service -

 

Are we sure there is not enough traffic these days for 2 ferry Co's?

 

Think back to what it was like here in the 80s, a much lower standard of living compared to now, and far less disposable income.

 

If the IOM SP is was running a 30% plus profit margin that is 3 times the industry average, does that not add weight to that argument?

 

Do we really need more than one boat a day for passengers/ cars? With the low cost air fares, if you need to be somewhere at a certain time the airlines can do that.

 

Although the actual ticket cost of flights is more expensive than the boat, once you have added in all the money you tend to spend on the boat, just to help pass the time, especially if traveling with children, the prices are not that far apart,

[Sean South]

Let's not forget Mezeron is not a like-for-like competitor.

 

It's simply creamed off / challenged the best part of the IoMSPCo business (containerised freight) with none of the other commitments to non-freight that the User Agreement entails (or indeed the linkspan usage charges of the UA).

So the Steam Packet are the ones that could level the palying field by allowing them to use and pay for the link span couldn't they?

[shipsofmann]

Does anyone reading this thread seriously think the Steam Packet's present difficulties are a good thing for the travelling public? I've been using the SP Co for more years than I care to remember and of course the service could have been improved and cheaper at times but by and large they have provided a good service as far as I personally have been concerned. Best case scenario is going to be a reduction in service and, probably, higher fares to compensate for loss in freight revenue. In the event of the SP Co going under, don't expect one of the other ferry operators to step in with a vastly improved service and mega-low fares - why would they do that?

I know it's fashionable to knock the Steam Packet but be careful what you wish for......

 

I agree with most of the above. Anyone who gives the matter any thought at all should realise that what Mark Woodward has said is absolutely correct. Some of the comments on this thread are amazing - nonsense about monorails, insulting remarks about Mark Woodward which really are offensive and utterly childish...

Some of the ill-informed critics of the IOMSPCo should look back to 1978 and look at what happened then.In the circumstances the IOMSPCo has been giving a very good service especially from the IOM (I could take issue with lack of day trips TO the IOM but that is for another day)and they have been well above the User Agreement requirements so I will echo..."Be careful what you wish for..."

AJS

[kevster]

Sure kevster, thats obvious but one wonders why people choose to route freight via Brittany rather than all the other x- channel carriers. Reasonable pricing maybe? Let's not start feeling sorry for the SP. Imo they are one of the main causes that the cost of living is so high on the island and that affect everyone but not in an equal way. Just wondered, do you work for them then......?

Maybe the final destination of the freight is that side of France?

 

And, no - I don't work for the SP. I think I've only used them twice in 15years (and one of those foot returns was a raffle prize)

[Lost Login]

That however does not alter the fact that if the CEO comes on the media giving a very polarised and oblique view as some sort of justification for trying to frighten everyone, that he should not then be a target for criticism.

 

I have listened to what he has said and he is taking the line I think you would expect him to take. If had sat there are said no concerns nothing will change because of this major loss of business we would all be calling him a liar. If he says there may be changes we accuse him of trying to frighten everyone. Whatever he said posters would have complained.

 

I actually thought he did well in deflecting some of Moultons less than subtle questioing which really seemed more about trying to get a sensationalist headline. He was longing for MW to say the SP would break the user agreement and kept asking that. Equally he was trying to get MW to say there would definatly be cuts, price increases and redundancies each time said no not at the present but obviously long term all these things would have to be looked at. Now I do not take that as trying to frighten everyone, it is just stating facts, if thet loose a major source of income for a sustained period there will probably be cuts and redundancies just like there would be in any business

 

As I said I thought MW was giving fairly honest answers to the questions raised. To be honest if there was a roll playing exercise the same questions were put as to MW I would expect many people would give very similar responses.

 

However if I ignore that and for argument sake only I accept that he was trying to frighten everybody giving a very polarised and oblique view could you not argue that he was only doing his job. He is there to reprsent the SP not as a BBC journalist to give an impartial commentary.

[Tempus Fugit]

I am amazed how many shipping experts there are who could run SPCo with both arms tied behind their backs whilst standing on one leg but are sat at home typing at their 'puters (or maybe sat at work on their employer's puter ?) and not actually running shipping companies :lol:

[Lost Login]

Let's not forget Mezeron is not a like-for-like competitor.

 

It's simply creamed off / challenged the best part of the IoMSPCo business (containerised freight) with none of the other commitments to non-freight that the User Agreement entails (or indeed the linkspan usage charges of the UA).

So the Steam Packet are the ones that could level the palying field by allowing them to use and pay for the link span couldn't they?

They could and at the same time Mezzeron would have to agree to X number of sailings per year, certain freight capacity, use of fast craft to Liverpool etc. Do you think Mezzeron would say yes to that just for access to a link span

[ballaughbiker]

Of course he's only doing his job..... and yes, he did fend off Moulton very well. I hardly expected him to say something like "we've tanned the financial ass off joe public of the IOM one way and another and now the chickens have come home to roost!" I don't however appreciate the veiled threats to the IOM public that they are going to possibly loose something or suffer reduced service when they have no input whatsoever into the circumstances that precipitated this crisis. This was much more apparent in the previous Mandate interview than Moulton's.

 

Why do certain posters keep saying 'be careful what you wish for'? I don't think anyone has said they would want the SP to fail if that's what's meant. I feel quite the opposite. I want them to succeed, be successful and make a reasonable profit but without the apparent arrogance and pricing of a monopoly provider. I, and most I suspect, just want a very ordinary no-frills service at a reasonable cost. I wouldn't even mind if the gas guzzling weather dependent fast craft were taken out of service as long we weren't ripped off for an ordinary service.

 

Surely nobody really believes it could be at Brittany ferries prices but c'mon £80 return on the Ben to Heysham for a foot pax arriving there in the dead of night?

 

TF - who has said they are a shipping expert then?

Edited November 2, 2010 by ballaughbiker

[WTF]

I am amazed how many shipping experts there are who could run SPCo with both arms tied behind their backs whilst standing on one leg but are sat at home typing at their 'puters (or maybe sat at work on their employer's puter ?) and not actually running shipping companies :lol:

 

thats cos if they live here the racket monopoly on the linkspan precludes passenger and car competition and the freight side is taken by both the racket and messyron. no point setting up to compete at all. and don't forget the planning boys will stomp on competition under BS reasons ( think tesco )

Edited November 2, 2010 by WTF

[Tugger]

I read this:

 

Some of the comments on this thread are amazing - nonsense about monorails, insulting remarks about Mark Woodward which really are offensive and utterly childish...

 

with some degree of puzzlement, until I saw this:

 

 

Posts: 1

 

I bet the Racket can't make enough money even with services pared back to the bare minimum under the User Agreement. If that was how to make more money, that's what they would already be doing. Woodward is clearly making a play for a direct subsidy, but somebody needs to tell him (perhaps Labour's Liam Byrne) that "There's no money left".

Edited November 2, 2010 by Tugger

[Tempus Fugit]

I am amazed how many shipping experts there are who could run SPCo with both arms tied behind their backs whilst standing on one leg but are sat at home typing at their 'puters (or maybe sat at work on their employer's puter ?) and not actually running shipping companies :lol:

 

thats cos if they live here the racket monopoly on the linkspan precludes passenger and car competition and the freight side is taken by both the racket and messyron. no point setting up to compete at all. and don't forget the planning boys will stomp on competition under BS reasons ( think tesco )

I hope they got planning permission for that new ugly crane on the pier !

must be awfully noisy living in those houses right opposite