The vessel will stay in Jersey until the shipping line comes up with acceptable repayment proposals.
Acting on behalf of the Harbours and Airport Committee, and under the authority of the Royal Court, the Viscount’s department made an arrest on the vessel yesterday.However, committee president Senator Len Norman said he hoped that the vessel would be released to resume services ‘in hours, rather than days’.But he added that there had been ‘a gross breach of trust’ as harbour dues had not been paid.The ferry was stopped from sailing last night and passengers due to travel had to either return home or were booked into a hotel by Jersey Tourism.Last week, Emeraude Lines applied to a French court for bankruptcy protection – with reported debts of over three million euros – and was given a deadline of 21 December to get its financial affairs in order.
