A long-running row about ferry services between the Wadden Sea island of Terschelling and the mainland has ended with a €9m government payout to the islanders’ own service.

The dispute between private ferry company TSM Doeksen and the EVT, started up by a group of local companies, has been going on for eight years.

Under the terms of the deal, Doeksen is taking over the EVT ferry MS Spathoek and will keep its monopoly. The deal also gives islanders more say about tariffs and ticket prices.

In return EVT will get a €9m government payout as an out of court settlement for halting all ongoing legal procedures against the Dutch state – some of which are with the European courts.

Minister

Junior transport minister Wilma Mansveld last year told EVT it could no longer use the docking facilities on Terschelling because its services were a threat to Doeksen, which has the government ferry service contract, website nu.nl reported.

Although the lower courts supported Mansveld’s decision, it was overturned on appeal, prompting further efforts to solve the dispute.

EVT started providing ferry services in 2008 because many islanders were unhappy about the service provided by monopoly holder Doeksen.

Cherry-picking

But Doeksen claimed EVT was cherry-picking by offering cheap tickets and only sailing at popular times, forcing its own service into the red.

EVT, in turn, threated to take the dispute to Europe, saying the Doeksen monopoly broke EU competition rules, website nu.nl reports.

In a statement, Mansveld said the payment ‘takes into account the claims already filed and yet to be filed by EVT and the rules on state support’.

The minister said she could not give further details because of the ‘confidential nature’ of the negotiations and the ‘risk of setting a precedent.’