Eurotunnel is to be allowed to continue to offer ferry services from Dover after it won an appeal against a Competition Commission ruling.
The commission overturned a decision in June to ban Eurotunnel from operating the service for at least two years amid concern it could dominate the crossing.
The commission quashed the decision due to a technical legal point, which means MyFerryLink can operate as normal. The competition body will now reconsider the case and assess whether it has the jurisdiction to review the matter.
Eurotunnel hailed the move as a “victory for the consumer”. Jacques Gounon, chairman and chief executive of Groupe Eurotunnel, said: “We are delighted by the CAT decision, which recognises the benefits and practicalities of our presence in the maritime cross-Channel market.”
Eurotunnel, which runs the channel rail tunnel, including the Le Shuttle Dover to Calais car rail service, bought three ships from Sea France after it went into liquidation in January 2012.