One More Newbuilding For DFDS
DFDS ordered one more ro-ro unit at the Jinling Shipyard in China.
That brings the order to a grand total of six new mega ro-ro newbuildings, or 40,200 lane meters and 2,700 trailers!
DFDS’s Acquisitions Fuel Growth In Q2
In Q2, DFDS’ revenue increased 6% to DKK 3.9bn driven by the expansion of the route network in the Mediterranean (with the acquisition of U.N. Ro-Ro), as well as continued growth in the freight activities in northern Europe. These two factors were also the key driver of the increase in EBITDA before special items by 9% to DKK 802m.
The growth of freight ferry volumes was in line with expectations in both northern Europe and the Mediterranean with overall growth of 6%.
Logistics volumes were up 5% for continuing activities.
DFDS’ first Jinling vessel (6,700 lane meter) was launched into the Yangtze River on 16 July.
Photo: Jeppe Halkjær Pedersen / DFDS
Between Klaipeda (Lithuania) and Karlshamn (Sweden), DFDS increased weekly departures from nine to ten. Ro-pax PATRIA SEAWAYS added a weekly round trip to the nine DFDS performs today. The extra sailings take place in the weekend, on Saturdays at 8:00 from Klaipeda and 23:59 from Karlshamn. Crossing time is 13-15 hours
Photo: PATRIA SEAWAYS © DFDS
Some 141 staff members of former Scop SeaFrance will not get any further severance. This is what the Court in Calais decided.
DFDS said that the staff promised not to bring nor DFDS, and neither Eurotunnel, to Court, in exchange for individual severance agreements. The Court followed this logic.
The workers can still decide to appeal against the decision.
DFDS will sell two combined freight and passenger ferries, KAUNAS SEAWAYS (1989) and VILNIUS SEAWAYS (1987) to Ukrferry. The former train ferries have been on time charter to Ukrferry for several years, for deployment on routes in the Black Sea. Delivery of the ferries is expected in July. The sale will affect the employment of around 70 crew members that DFDS will seek to employ in its own route network.
Ukrferry already owned the sistervessel GREIFSWALD. The fourth vessel in the series —PETERSBURG–, is owned by Black Sea Ferry & Investments (Baltic Fleet LLC). She is arrested and docked at Paljasaare, Tallinn, since late April.
DFDS lacks digital experts. “We simply have a hard time recruiting the IT experts we need, even though new colleagues will immediately be involved in tasks that really matter to people and trade. The tasks we can offer are probably among the most meaningful and exciting an IT developer will get,” says Henrik Holck, EVP, People and Ships.
U.N. Ro-Ro, now a DFDS company, has made its first call to Port of Patras. The first vessel was the UN PENDIK, coming from Istanbul, and going to Trieste.
Initially, four weekly calls have been scheduled for Patras, two per direction.
Photo: U.N. Ro-Ro
On 8 June, Volvo announced that the last of its successful V60 models had been assembled at Volvo Cars’ assembly line in Ghent. Over the last 18 months DFDS transported the supply of V60 bodies from Volvo Cars’ factories in Gothenburg to the assembly line in Ghent; some 325 trailer loads a week. The production of the new Volvo V60 SPA model will begin in a few months. DFDS has a new contract for the transportation of 250 trailer loads per week.
In Ghent, the DFDS ships are nicknamed “The Volvo Boats”
Photo: DFDS