Ferry and logistics company DFDS has joined forces with one of Ireland’s most formidable offshore sailors, Pamela Lee, to launch #EmpowHer racing campaign. The initiative aims to support Lee’s quest to compete in the world’s longest and most challenging solo transatlantic race in 2026, the Route du Rhum, while inspiring more women to pursue maritime careers.   

DFDS and the government of Jersey have signed a contract for Jersey’s ferry services. Over the next 20 years, DFDS will provide freight and passenger services connecting Jersey of the Channel Islands to the UK and France beginning 28 March 2025.

On December 3, 2024, it was announced that DFDS is the preferred bidder to take on the 15-year contract to provide ferry life-line freight service and passenger services to Jersey of the Channel Islands from 28 March 2025.

The European ferry operator, DFDS, continues to set the standard in European ferry travel, celebrating a remarkable achievement at the World Travel Awards.

The Oslo-Frederikshavn-Copenhagen journey continues with new owners as DFDS is parting ways with the historic route. DFDS has operated the route since 1867 serving millions of passengers and generations of families.

DFDS will sell mini-cruise route between Norway and Denmark to Swedish shipping company Gotlandsbolaget. The decision will ensure that the route receives the future focus and investments needed to further develop, while DFDS strengthens the focus on its core business within freight, passenger transport and logistics. The sale price is around DKK 400m.

DFDS is announcing a substantial €1 billion investment in battery electric vessels, marking its unwavering commitment to decarbonising maritime traffic in the English Channel.

Import Control System 2 (ICS2) entering Europe 1 June 2024

Global ferry operator DFDS continues to make waves across Europe following a record-breaking award-win at the prestigious World Travel Awards.

World-record-holding offshore sailor Pamela Lee and co-skipper Tiphaine Ragueneau hope to make waves with the support of sponsor DFDS as they prepare for the 30th annual Transat Jacques Vabre race.

DFDS has announced that it will be launching a new unaccompanied freight service from Tilbury to Calais, replacing its existing Sheerness – Calais service.

By the end of 2023, part of the DFDS ships that dock in Vlaardingen will receive electricity via a shore power installation. Rotterdam Shore Power B.V, a joint venture of Eneco and the Port of Rotterdam Authority, will supply this shore power. For now, Jinling roll-on-roll-off vessels for scheduled service to and from Immingham will use the shore power installation. The installation will be constructed by Actemium and has been partially made financially possible by subsidies from the central government and the province of South Holland.

Volume report: Freight up 11%, passenger recovery on track

DFDS is delighted to confirm that a third vessel last week joined its Rosslare – Dunkerque fleet last week, with the first departure from Dunkerque on Wednesday 11th May.

To improve frequency and scheduling, that meets the demand for earlier arrivals into the UK from freight ferry customers, DFDS has entered into a Space Charter Agreement (SCA) with CldN.

Continued Freight Growth offset by UK slowdown

Starting at the end of 2020, trade between EU and Turkey has increased supported by depreciation of the Turkish Lira. High trade levels keep colleagues happy and busy as the Turkish economy is expected to continue its growth.

DFDS reports monthly ferry volumes for freight and passengers to provide additional insight into the development of volume trends in DFDS’ European route network.

Every month, we publish the previous month’s ferry volumes to the stock exchange to provide additional insight into volume trends in DFDS’ European route network.

The service will start on 1st June and will offer one daily sailing in each direction between the two ports.

A lot is happening at Guangzhou Shipyard International in China where our new combined freight and passenger ferry for the Baltic Sea is being built. On Friday 19 March, another milestone was reached as the inclining test was successfully carried out.

Every month, we publish the previous month’s ferry volumes to the stock exchange to provide additional insight into volume trends in DFDS’ European route network

DFDS introduces a fourth freight ferry on the Rosslare – Dunkirk route

Positive signs after a tough year for DFDS in Turkey

DFDS has a new freight ferry route between Ireland and France. It provides direct and paperless transport between EU countries. It is already popular, enjoying near 100% utilisation from day one.

DFDS enjoys near 100% utilisation of new route

DFDS signs declaration for seafarer wellbeing

Every month, we publish the previous month’s ferry volumes to the stock exchange. December’s freight volumes were so impressive that it calls for a closer look.

Open for business: When Optima Seaways departed Rosslare Europort for Dunkirk on Saturday 2 January, it officially launched DFDS’ new Ireland-France freight ferry route.

In an agreement between France and the UK, ferry passengers and lorry drivers can again enter France with a negative Covid-19 test

Freight continues as usual on all routes, except on the Channel where the flow is reduced as lorry drivers are prohibited from entering France from the UK for at least 48 hours.

As we reported last week, DFDS will commence sailings on a new freight ferry route between Rosslare in the Republic of Ireland and Dunkerque in Northern France on 2 January. The DFDS office in Rosslare is ready with Port operations Manager Dwain Rodgers and Port Assisting Manager Donna Lynch.

The ferries Visby, Kerry, and Optima Seaways are ready to welcome lorries and their drivers on the new Rosslare – Dunkerque freight route. From 2 January, the route will enable customers to keep their freight transport within the EU and avoid the customs formalities that will apply to transport passing via the UK.

Winter has come to Jinling Shipyard in China, but the biting cold will not prevent the site team from ensuring that we get a brand-new ferry at the beginning of next year.

Monthly volume report: Freight boosted by stock building ahead of Brexit

DFDS becomes the first-ever maritime member of RSSB.

New travel restrictions due to mutated coronavirus will not affect sailings on DFDS routes.

DFDS is one of four companies that together will receive GBP 77.6 million for ensuring capacity for transport of essential goods from 1 January.

Our NorthSea Terminal in Brevik will from 31 October be added to Unifeeder's multi-port setup connecting Norway to Germany.

Vlaardingen has introduced digital document handling via tablets, to reduce physical contact and unnecessary paper.

DFDS is adding two weekly departures from both ports to the schedule, and sailing times are reduced by up to an hour.

From 4 October, there will be two daily departures on Paldiski – Kapellskär nearly every day. Patria Seaways will be moved to the route from the Paldiski – Hanko route, which will be closed due to unsatisfactory volumes.

Work on the extension is expected to start around the end of the year. With an efficient new layout, a new gate system and many other improvements, bottlenecks will be removed and emissions reduced.

Even though things are tough right now, opportunities to grow and collaborate still arise all over DFDS. This time, a new cooperation between DFDS and the shipping company, Smyril Line, was a welcoming addition to the business in Vlaardingen.

The Metal Maritime union and DFDS have agreed on a negotiated solution for most employees on the two Oslo ferries. The agreement ensures that the ferries can continue to operate on this route, in spite of the Norwegian quarantine rules causing a decrease in passenger numbers. Regretfully, 26 servers will be redundant.

COVID-19: As infection levels have decreased on Zealand, the Norwegian government has decided that the region should move from 'red' to 'yellow' status, i.e. travellers coming from the region can now enter Norway without having to be quarantined.

When DFDS resumes the Copenhagen – Oslo ferry operation on 25 June, the ferries will also service Frederikshavn – Oslo. There will be daily sailings on both routes.

Due to the Covid-19 situation, the Amsterdam-Newcastle ferry route will be temporarily suspended. Latest sailings will be on 21 March from Amsterdam and 22 March from Newcastle. DFDS is in consultation with crews on board and staff ashore about the temporary effects on employment.

Despite the Brexit uncertainty, DFDS has set the course towards a 4 % growth in revenues in 2020 driven by the initiatives introduced as part of the company’s Win23 strategy. Win23 will drive growth by focusing on initiatives in four strategic pillars.

Econowind and Green Shipping project installed on Lysbris Seaways.

On 7 March, DFDS’ largest ferry ever was named Ephesus Seaways at a naming ceremony in Istanbul and will soon set course for its first sailing to Trieste fully loaded with 450 trailers.

DFDS is preparing for future growth with the construction of six new mega ferries in China. The first one was delivered to DFDS on 31 January and will be entering into service between Turkey and the EU during March.

DFDS has today ordered an additional freight ferry (ro-ro) newbuilding from the Chinese Jinling Shipyard

DFDS has today ordered one additional freight ferry (ro-ro) newbuilding for delivery in the first half of 2020 from the Chinese Jinling Shipyard.

In April, European shipping and logistics group DFDS signed an agreement with the owners of the Turkish shipping company U.N. Ro-Ro to acquire the shares in the company.

RDF – residue-derived fuel – is waste that has been processed and packed in bales so it can be used as fuel in power plants.

The new ship will be able to carry 3,100 lane metres of cargo and 1,000 passengers. It will be built in China and deployed on the Channel in 2021.

On Monday 16 April, a fire broke out in the engine room on board DFDS’ ro-ro freight ship Finlandia Seaways, which connects Rosyth in Scotland and Zeebrugge in Belgium. ​​

Last night at 22:13, a fire broke out in the engine room on board Finlandia Seaways on its voyage from Zeebrugge to Rosyth.

Danish shipping and logistics group DFDS has acquired Turkey’s largest operator of Ro-Ro freight ships and will be a major player in the strong and continuously growing trade between the EU and Turkey. U.N. Ro-Ro operates five routes connecting Italy and France with Turkey, 12 ships and port terminals in Trieste and in Pendik, Istanbul. U.N. Ro-Ro employs 500 people. The deal is subject to approval by the authorities.

Every week, DFDS ships large amounts of cars, trailers and containers on our freight ships from Ghent to Gothenburg in Sweden and from Zeebrugge to Rosyth in Scotland.

Luckily no-one was injured when Primula Seaways was hit by the container ship MSC Madrid on Saturday, and fortunately, there was no pollution in spite of the substantial damage to the hull.

On 2 March 2018, DFDS’ ro-ro ship Primula Seaways was hit by a container ship during the sailing from Ghent to Brevik. No persons were injured and no pollution occurred. However, the collision caused damage to Primula Seaways’ port side and to one of the trailers placed near the damaged part of the hull

In 2018, DFDS will invest in further development of digital capabilities to enhance the customer experience and gain operational efficiencies. This is expected to entail additional costs of around DKK 100m as well as increased investments.

DFDS has just reported another record result for 2017. The operating profit of DKK 2.7 billion was based, among other things, on the continuing positive development in volumes on the company’s ten freight routes across the North Sea.

The world is changing at an accelerating pace and it's more important than ever to understand the dynamics of that change. New technology that enables new behaviour or fundamental changes to existing markets is often the driver of that change.

Yesterday (31 October) the last six of 12 migrants, who for three months had been on board DFDS' Lithuanian vessel Kaunas Seaways in the Black Sea, were taken off the ship in order to be flown back to their home countries via the airport in Odessa and Turkey. Six of the migrants were sent home to Algeria on 29 October, while six are underway today.

The new citizen of the world, Mustafa, was brought into the world on board Côte D’Albatre, when his mother went into labour before arrival in Dieppe.

Tulipa Seaways is the second large ro-ro freight vessel from the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft destined to enter the DFDS fleet. The ship will be delivered during the autumn and will enter service between Rotterdam and Immingham.

In 2016 Ark Futura transported chemicals out of Libya for destruction in Germany.

The strong increase in freight volumes and passenger numbers between the Continet and the UK is part of the DFDS' record results

DFDS and Forth Ports will invest in the future of the Rosyth-Zeebrugge freight route

DOVER SEAWAYS contacted the harbour wall when leaving Dover, passengers have been accommodated on the other DFDS ferries

DFDS Seaways, the Scottish Government and Forth Ports signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which they agree to continue the Rosyth-Zeebrugge freight shipping service under the management of DFDS Seaways

DFDS plans to close the Le Havre-Portsmouth route at the end of 2014 due to continued losses

Fire breaks on CORORNA SEAWAYS on 4 December, 2013 en route from Fredericia - Copenhagen

Fire broke on the main deck of VICTORIA SEAWAYS en route from Kiel to Klaipeda, the situation was under control and no injuries reported

Negotiations between DFDS and the German shipyard P+S about the two ro-ro vessels are still in the process

DFDS signs an agreement with two leading logistics providers with effect from September 2012

DFDS cancels their contracts for two ro-ro ships with the German shipyard P+S Werften GmbH

DFDS orders two ro-ro newbuildings at the German shipyard P+S Werften GmbH

DFDS and Volvo signs a new agreement for the transport of cargo on three DFDS routes

DFDS closes down the operation of the routes between Dublin and Birkenhead and Heysham, England, at the end of January 2011