THE future of Emeraude Lines has been secured.

The new owners of Emeraude won a crucial court battle in France this week over the purchase price of the company’s flagship Solidor V.

And the shipping company have confirmed that now uncertainty over the vessel’s future has ended, they are taking bookings for the Jersey to St Malo route for the rest of the year.Travellers may now look forward to something of a price war between Emeraude and Condor Ferries, with both shipping companies vying for business on the route.Emeraude’s Jersey chief executive, Gordon Forrest, said that the court in Rennes ruled on Tuesday that the shipping company’s new owners, Sogestran, had agreed a ten-million-euro purchase price with the shareholders who own the vessel.

The shareholders had claimed that the agreed price was 14.8 million euros As a result, Solidor V will return to operate the Jersey to St Malo route when she comes out of dry dock.

Emeraude services to France are due to restart on 12 February after the winter break.