A quick look at how the ferries compare with each other. As we look forward to welcoming the Côte D’Opale this summer, here is a quick look at how she compares to the much-loved Calais Seaways which she will replace on our Dover to Calais route. Built in 1991 and upgraded in 2013, Calais Seaways is a familiar ship on […]
This year we will welcome the Côte D’Opale into the Channel family and with just a few months to go until her maiden voyage, she is coming along nicely. Construction started in May 2019 at the Avic Shipyard in Weihai, China, and there is just 15% of the build left until she is ready! Around 300 people are working on the ship […]
Every now and then our colleagues receive requests that just stand out. As was the case when Cargo Sales & Marketing in Kiel took upon them to arrange the transportation of a generator in a weight class from the big league. F.H. Bertling needed a 98 tonnes generator transported from Pilzen in the Czech Republic to Kazakhstan. Such […]
Zagreb in Croatia was recently struck by an earthquake of 6.3 magnitude. To provide aid, AFAD, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, prepared 100 living house containers for victims affected by the earthquake. The homes were transported on 3 and 5 January to reach Zagreb in cooperation with UND (International Transporters Association) and DFDS while Tan Group Logistics undertook the customs clearance of the convoy consisting of 50 trucks from 30 UND member companies. Fuat Pamukçu, […]
Because of updated travel restrictions announced by the Danish government on 8 January and Norwegian restrictions from early January, Pearl Seaways was laid up and the Oslo – Frederikshavn – Copenhagen route was temporally suspended from 10 January. On 13 January, the travel restrictions were prolonged by the Danish government meaning that the suspension will last until at least the 7 February. Kasper Moos, Head of BU Group Passenger, says: “During […]
Goodbye for now, Jinling Shipyard. After three and a half years, Scandia Seaways, the sixth and final mega freight ferry, could finally set course towards Singapore and afterwards Europe. This marks the conclusion of an extensive project that saw the delivery of Ephesus Seaways, Troy Seaways, Hollandia Seaways, Humbria Seaways, Flandria Seaways and now Scandia Seaways. From left: Jeppe Halkjær Pedersen, Frane Pilic […]
On 4 January, Nicole Seroff took over as DFDS’ Head of Communications from Gert Jakobsen who will retire. This means that Nicole is now responsible for media relations, communications advisory, internal communications and digital communications incl. social media and web. All issues and requests previously directed to Gert Jakobsen should now be directed to Nicole, or to one of the six members of our […]
This time we meet Julius Griška. Julius has a life story is remarkable. He has lived in four countries. He acquired his current qualification by coincidence. He has prepared food for thousands of cruise ferry passengers, completed an apprenticeship at a Michelin-rated restaurant owned by a world-famous chef and cooked for the likes of the previous Prime Minister of Lithuania and Formula One champions during a race event. He […]
By Jesper Aagesen, Director of Newbuilding & Major Conversions. This month it is five years ago we visited the Jinling Shipyard for the very first time where we initiated the discussions on our mega freight ferry project. That was the beginning of a long journey between the yard and DFDS. Today, on 6 January, we […]
Our new Ireland-France route is based on the transport of driver accompanied trailers. The newly chartered ferry M/S Visby can, with her 1,800 lane metres and 92 cabins with private facilities, accommodate up to 120 trucks, trailers, and drivers. For Visby’s very first roundtrip on Rosslare-Dunkerque, DFDS had prepared gift bags for the first 10 drivers to board. The […]
Open for business: When Optima Seaways departed Rosslare Europort for Dunkerque on Saturday 2 January, it officially launched DFDS’ new Ireland-France freight ferry route. The route enables exporters and forwarders to keep their transport within the EU and avoid the customs formalities that apply to transport passing via the UK land bridge. At 14:00, on 2 January, […]
How a new BU head experienced a Christmas crisis By Filip Hermann, Vice President & Head of BU Channel. BU Channel is a busy place. There is nothing we haven’t seen, from exhausted migrants hiding in trailers to armed robbers on the run. If not daily then at least on a weekly basis, we experience something unusual. However, this Christmas was extraordinary by all standards. Leading up to Christmas, we […]
The three ships have arrived in Dunkerque for berth tests and supplies. First departure will be from Rosslare on 2 January. DFDS’ new route between Ireland and France is getting ready for its first departure. In just a few days, on 2 January at 14:00 (Ire time), a fully booked Optima Seaways will set sail towards Dunkerque – […]
DFDS offers people of Kent one free post-Covid weekend return trip to recognise extraordinary patience of Kent residents. Dover is placed in Kent, where our many neighbors have experienced several traffic disruptions during the pandemic. Now, DFDS has decided to offer free ferry trips to Kent residents once current Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. Filip Hermann, Vice-President & Head of Channel Routes […]
Robert Courts, Minister for Aviation & Maritime. Shortly before Christmas, the French Government closed the border for passengers and lorry drivers entering the country from the UK because of a mutant coronavirus found in the UK. Due to an agreement with the UK, the borders opened again on Tuesday 22 December for passengers and drivers who could present a negative Covid-19 test. However, only 144 lorries made […]
2020 stands out as one of the most difficult years in recent history for DFDS and our customers, and in particular for everyone of you working to keep things moving for our customers and handle the many challenges caused by Covid-19 and Brexit. Therefore, in the live event today, Torben Carlsen announced that the Board has decided to award every DFDS employee 50 DFDS shares as a special recognition of your extraordinary work in […]
In November, we shared the news of a new agreement with the Danish military on providing ship capacities for sea transport of military equipment over the next six years. As a result of this, Finlandia Seaways would join the Ark cooperation and Ark Futura leave it. Prior to joining the Ark fleet from 1 January 2021, Finlandia […]
In a bid to stop a mutant strain of coronavirus crossing their borders, several nations have banned passenger travelling from the UK. This also affects DFDS and our customers. Channel France has decided to ban all kinds of passengers via sea, including lorry drivers, from entering the country from the UK within at least 48 hours from late Sunday. This means that we can only transport unaccompanied trailers […]
December is often full of socialising with friends, family and not least colleagues. This year is different, and we have to think outside the box to find ways to have fun and bond in other ways than we are used to. What better way to encourage a good time than with a healthy competition out in the fresh air? Two teams of eight colleagues from marketing, call centre […]
The Oslo – Frederikshavn – Copenhagen route was relaunched in week 25 with the addition of Frederikshavn. Following this, the route experienced a great development in freight volumes and from week 40 to 45 volumes were even far ahead compared to last year. From week 45, the route unfortunately had to temporarily lay-up 50% of […]
Port Opps Manager in Rosslare is Dwain Rodgers. 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 news about the route created a lot of interests among customers who saw an opportunity to avoid the customs procedures […]
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 in the beginning of next year. With a snow-covered weather deck, the sixth and final mega freight ferry departed from the shipyard for sea trial this morning at 07:15 […]
From the online celebration As you know, DFDS created the Horizon Programme in 2015 to develop and retain our future leaders and business critical talents. And now, we can congratulate Horizon Team 3 on their graduation last week. It was no small accomplishment as Covid-19 made it even more challenging than it already was. It started two years ago when 45 candidates were nominated by their managers. After a very intense Assessment Centre test, including interviews with the members of […]
The European Commission has outlined the growing need for automated driving systems for heavy commercial vehicles, and there are already a number of initiatives promoting this. One is the AWARD project which DFDS takes active part in. It was recently granted nearly €20 million funding by the European Commission. “The AWARD project is an exciting partnership of […]