UK watchdog bans Eurotunnel ferries from Dover
"LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's competition watchdog has barred France's Groupe Eurotunnel from docking its ferries at Dover for at least two years due to concerns its purchase of three ferries would allow it to dominate over half of the market.
The channel tunnel operator branched out into sea transport last year with its 65 million euro (55 million pounds) purchase of three ferries formerly operated by SeaFrance, a unit of French railway operator SNCF that went into liquidation in early 2012.
The Competition Commission said that Eurotunnel's move was motivated by concerns that Danish ferry operator DFDS Seaways would buy the vessels cheaply and drive down prices for customers. The other operator on the Dover-Calais crossing is P&O Ferries.
"It cannot be good for competition when Eurotunnel, which already holds a market share of over 40 percent, moves into the ferry business-particularly when it did so to stop a competitor from buying the ferries," said Alasdair Smith, the Commission's deputy chairman..."
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