My Ferry Link, the French company at the centre of a competition review, has completed its first year of operation by claiming it is the number two operator on the Dover-Calais route.

Launched in August last year, it competes with P&O and DFDS Seaways on the short-sea route.

UK managing director Robin Wilkins said: “We are now the number two operator on the Dover-Calais route with our July figures showing we have now gained 8.2% of the tourism car market. Our freight figures are equally encouraging; we now have 10% of the market after just one year of operation.”

The firm is operated by an employee partnership of French-based shore staff and crew. It uses three ferries - Berlioz, Rodin and Nord-Pas de Calais - bought by Eurotunnel from the defunct SeaFrance and leased to My Ferry Link.

The UK Competition Commission ruled in June that the deal was anti-competitive and could push up prices. It gave Eurotunnel six months to stop the service but the Channel Tunnel operator has appealed against the ruling.

Mr Wilkins said it had been a successful first year of trading. “The firm has gone from strength to strength, not only in business terms, but also in the quality of its customer service. We are hugely proud of our most recent results, which are a testimony to the hard work of our staff and confidence of our customers.”

He added: “We are confident that we can continue to build on this performance and we are looking forward to a satisfactory conclusion of the UK Competition Commission review.”

My Ferry Link operates 16 daily crossings on the Dover-Calais route.