Sea Containers Hoverspeed Subsidiary Wins High Court Action
Sea Containers Ltd., passenger transport operator, marine container lessor and leisure industry investor announced today that its subsidiary Hoverspeed Ltd. operator of fast ferry services on the English Channel, has been successful in its legal challenge of UK Customs and Excise procedures. HM Customs and Excise have been checking and detaining Hoverspeed passengers and seizing their goods and the vehicles in which they travelled. The High Court ruled today that the Customs' policy currently in place could be regarded as a "disproportionate executive policy" and Hoverspeed won on all points. President of Sea Containers Ltd., Mr. James B. Sherwood said the implications of the judgement are very far reaching. "No longer will HM Customs and Excise be entitled to stop passengers at random.
Feature: Seastreak: Outward Bound
While the fast ferries of SeaStreak were not the first to provide high-speed commuter service to the Highlands region of New Jersey, they were the first to be set-up by a Bermudan company. "Sea Container, Ltd., operates in three main areas," said SeaStreak's General Manager, David Stafford "marine container leasing, various leisure-bound operations, and passenger transport." SeaStreak falls into the third group, one of several comparable operations the parent company runs worldwide. They have fast ferry operations in the English Channel (Hoverspeed, Ltd.), fast and conventional ferry operations in the Irish and Baltic Seas (Man Steam Packet Co. and Silja Line respectively, the latter 50% owned). Sea Container also has railroad interests in the U.K. and Peru, among others.
