Key Information on Ferry Operator DFDS

The Danish company DFDS has been selected to operate ferry services connecting Jersey for a period of 15 years. While DFDS also submitted a bid for ferry operations in Guernsey, that island ultimately opted for Brittany Ferries. DFDS was established in 1866 by Danish financier Carl Frederik Tietgen, following the consolidation of three distinct companies. Its name is an abbreviation for Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab, translating to The United Steamship Company in English. The company employs approximately 14,000 individuals and conducts business in over 20 nations. DFDS conducted trials with three different vessels in the primary ports of Guernsey and Jersey, specifically St Peter Port and St Helier. The company introduced the Finlandia to the islands in December 2023. The Seven Sisters, a vessel currently operating between Newhaven on England’s south coast and Dieppe on the French coast, made a visit in early October. A spokesperson for Ports of Jersey commented at that time that the ship was “larger than the ferries Jersey normally accommodates” and that a tug and two pilots were “used to ensure her safe berthing”. Subsequently, DFDS evaluated the MV Mistral in the islands; this vessel has been leased by the company until the year’s end, in response to a request from the governments of Jersey and Guernsey for contingency preparations. DFDS already manages numerous other routes across Europe. These encompass locations in the Baltics, Norway, Sweden, and Holland, in addition to France, England, and Ireland. During periods of high demand, the company has stated its capability to perform up to 30 daily crossings between Dover, situated on England’s south coast, and Calais in France. Certain DFDS vessels operating between Copenhagen and Oslo are equipped with swimming pools and hot tubs on their exterior decks. For over a decade consecutively, DFDS has received the title of World’s Leading Ferry Operator at the World Travel Awards. These accolades are determined by votes cast by both travelers and professionals within the travel sector. Commenting on the 2023 award, Kasper Moos, DFDS vice-president and head of passenger, stated: “[The passengers] belief in our service inspires us to continually strive for excellence.” On the review platform Trustpilot, passengers have submitted almost 16,000 remarks, resulting in a 4.1-star rating for DFDS. Concurrently, the company holds a 3.5-star rating from over 300 evaluations on Tripadvisor. DFDS indicated that modernizing its fleet of ferries is a primary method through which it intends to achieve its environmental objectives. In 2020, the company unveiled strategies to decrease the comparative CO2 emissions from its vessels by 45% by 2030, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. This April, it disclosed an agreement with Incat, a Tasmanian firm, to develop designs for a hybrid vessel intended for Channel routes. DFDS stated that this hybrid ship could transition to being entirely electric once port infrastructure is equipped with charging capabilities. Torben Carlsen, DFDS chief executive, described this initiative as “the future.” He elaborated: “The hybrid electric ferry will be part of our vision for the future ferry solution for the Channel Islands,” adding, “Electrification of short sea routes is the future, and, with the design study, we can fast-track the green transition, ushering in a new era of low-emission maritime transport.”