Eurotunnel-owned MyFerryLink has won a reprieve from possible sale or closure.
The cross-channel ferry business was granted permission on Friday to appeal against a decision to close the business on competition grounds.
The decision gives the firm the opportunity to overturn the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s judgment to uphold the Competition and Market Authority’s ruling to bar Eurotunnel from operating ferry services at Dover.
The ruling by the Court of Appeal “reflects the strength of our arguments, in particular to examine why the Tribunal did not see fit to quash the remittal decision given the fact that it had found a number of errors in that decision,” My FerryLink said.
A hearing is likely to take place at the Court of Appeal in London before March 13.
“In the meantime, MyFerryLink will continue to operate services between Dover and Calais, focusing on delivering excellent service to our customers,” the company said.
MyFerryLink operates up to 24 daily crossings on the Dover-Calais route alongside P&O Ferries and DFDS and is run by former SeaFrance workers
UK managing director Robin Wilkins told the Dover Express: “There’s still a long way to go. But it’s a very positive sign MyFerryLink is going to have a good chance of being around for a long time to come.”