Six new mega freight ferries
DFDS is preparing for future growth with the construction of six new mega freight ferries (ro-ros) at the Jinling Shipyard in China. The first one was delivered to DFDS on 31 January 2019 and will be entering into service between Turkey and the EU during March to accommodate an increasing demand for volume capacity from logistics companies.
With a load capacity of 6,700 lane metres, it can accommodate 450 trailers. It has a length of 237.4m and will be by far the largest in DFDS’ fleet. The freight ferries are each equipped with a unique ramp system with three independent stern ramps and internal ramps on each side of the freight ferries, making them able to load and unload trailers quickly and efficiently. This will reduce time in port considerably.
Due to the large capacity, the six freight ferries’ energy consumption per trailer transported will be significantly decreased. The ferries will all be equipped with scrubbers to reduce sulphur oxide and to be prepared for the global sulphur limit regulation which takes effect from January 2020.
To follow the construction of the first ferry from first steel-cut to sea trial click here.
Two new combined freight and passenger ferries
DFDS continues to modernise and increase its fleet to be prepared for our customers’ future needs and demands and in February 2018, DFDS signed a contract for the delivery of two large ro-pax ferries from the Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in China. Ro-pax ferries are combined freight and passenger ferries, and the 230m vessels will each have a capacity of 4,500 lane metres and will be able to carry 600 passengers. The ferries will be delivered from the yard during the first and second half of 2021 respectively and are intended for one of our services between Klaipeda and Germany or Sweden.
One chartered combined freight and passenger ferry
The Channel is a big and important market, where five million passengers, one million cars and 1.2 million trucks travel between Dover – Calais and Dover – Dunkerque every year on DFDS ferries. To meet the demands of our customers, DFDS has decided to deploy a new combined freight and passenger ferry (ro-pax) especially designed for our services from 2021. The ship will be built in Avic Weihai Shipyard in China. DFDS will charter the ship and operate it for 10 years with an option to buy it after that.
Six new freight ferries
237.4 metres long
6,700 lane metres – 450 trailers
21 knots service speed
Two first for our Mediterranean routes
Two freight and passenger ferries
230 metres long
4,500 lane metres – 270 trailers
600 passengers
23 knots service speed
To be deployed on the Baltic routes
One chartered freight and passenger ferry
214 metres long
3,100 lane metres – 160 trailers
1,000 passengers
18.5 knots service speed
To be deployed on the Channel routes
January 2019
First freight ferry delivered
This ferry was entered into service between Turkey and the EU in March.
May 2019
Second freight ferry delivered
This ferry will be entering into service between Turkey and the EU.
Q4 2019
Expected delivery of the third freight ferry
Q4 2019
Expected delivery of the fourth freight ferry
Q1 2020
Expected delivery of the fifth freight ferry
Q4 2020
Expected delivery of the sixth freight ferry
Q1 2021
Expected delivery of the first combined freight and passenger ferry from the GSI Shipyard
This ferry is expected to enter into service on the Baltic routes.
Q2 2021
Expected delivery of the chartered combined freight and passenger ferry
This ferry is expected to enter into service on the Channel routes.
Q3 2021
Expected delivery of the second combined freight and passenger ferry from the GSI Shipyard
This ferry is expected to enter into service on the Baltic routes.