FastShip raises white flag, but it brings charges to the USA government



Remembered the FastShip project? Its objective one was to by sea realize a fast connection for the transport of the container between Europe and the United States with transit a Time of five gate days between harbour of the French port of call of Cherbourg-Octeville and the gate one of the port of Philadelphia. A time of absolutely competitive travel regarding that of the traditional marine carriers, that they realize Atlantic crossing employing two days in more at least. Fine a modeled ambitious and on the standards of the aerial transport, with forecast moreover of a halving of the costs regarding aeromere to us.

Own the costs, but, have induced the promoters of the project to temporize.

FastShip Inc. it is founded in 1997. In the 2002 initiative it seemed to finally be able to take off, literally, since initially it was thought of being able to carry out crossing in less than four days ( on 9 June 1999). Then the start date is sli to 2003 and successively to 2004; therefore it has been passed to 2008. ( on November 13, 1999, 8 4 November 2000 and February 2004). The last announcement gave the operating departure of the line for the month of December of 2009 ( on 13 September 2006). Then more nothing.

In these years, in fact, the cost of the fuel is increased esponenzialmente. Since the consumption of the fuel by the ships esponenzialmente grows also it with the increase of the speed, the JetShip planned by FastShip for being able to transport total cargos for 10,000 tons maintaining a cruise speed until 40 knots in the presence of bad conditions of the sea began bit by bit to being for the company, more than a objective, a mirage.

Sul project therefore is dropped Hush, broken hour from the announcement of the demand introduced last Tuesday from FastShip Inc. and from its associates FastShip Atlantic Inc. and Thornycroft, Giles & Co., Inc. of being subordinates to the protection of Chapter 11 of the American bankrupt law, norm that places the society under the particular form of administration controlled previewed from the American legislation that has the objective to allow the restructure financial institution of the enterprises.

However that of FastShip is not a rising of white flag, or at least it is perhaps solo from the operating and commercial point of view since it is an admission of the inability to collect the entire one to pile of economic resources (two billions of dollars) necessary in order to realize the business plan. That of the company is rather proclaims of the start of a legal cause against the USA government, than FastShip accusation of potential violation of patent.

Objective of FastShip was to take advantage of is the commercial characteristics of the project that its applications in army camp. The company considers in fact that the new combat ships of which the LAST Navy it is being equipped within a plan of constructions of the value of 650 million dollars are realized on the base of the FastShip project. The society has announced to have introduced to such purpose in April a 2008 administrative claim with the attempt to reach an understanding with the government. But two years after Marina the USA it has rejected the demand for agreement.