In Algeria, the air and maritime transport sectors have been hit hard by the border closures decided by the authorities since the start of the health crisis. Like Air Algérie, the public maritime transport company Algérie Ferries has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Forced to lower the flag since the closure of maritime borders in March 2020, the Algerian Ferries company has suffered colossal losses, estimated at several billion dinars. A situation that risks causing the pure and simple bankruptcy of this company.
Algeria Ferries lost 1.4 trillion dollars due to the closure of maritime borders
In its September 12 edition, the Arabic-language daily Echourouk revealed that Algeria Ferries’ losses since the start of the health crisis are estimated at 14 billion dinars, or 1.4 trillion dinars centimes.
Citing sources within the company, the media announces that Algeria Ferries has lost this sum following the cancellation since March 2020 of 750 trips which were to carry 500,000 travelers and 150,000 cars on board the ships of the shipping company.
Algeria Ferries on the verge of bankruptcy
These figures were presented last week in a report to the Minister of Transport with whom the management of Algeria Ferries had held a working meeting in Algiers. The management of Algeria Ferries especially wanted to alert the public authorities to the financial difficulties of the company, which could lead to bankruptcy.
The report discussed how to pay workers’ wages, as Algeria Ferries resorted to borrowing from a public bank to cover expenses. The company has not sold any tickets since March 18, 2020, to date.
“Nothing justifies the extension of the closure of maritime borders”, according to Algeria Ferries
It is to avoid the bankruptcy of the company that the officials of Algeria Ferries asked the public authorities to proceed, immediately, to the reopening of the maritime borders. “Nothing justifies the extension of the closure of maritime borders, especially since airlines have resumed international flights since August 1,” said an official from Algeria Ferries, according to the same source. The latter said that all measures have been taken by the company to allow Algeria Ferries customers to travel in the best sanitary conditions.
