DFDS Ferry Enthusiasts - part of the Ferry Enthusiasts Network of Websites

DFDS has provided passenger services for more than 130 years, with a fleet considered to be one of the largest in northern Europe.

They currently operate six modern passenger ships and to make a comparison they can say that they are one of Scandinavia's largest hotel chains, with approx. 9,000 bed-nights every night during the summer season and parking facilities for 2,500 cars.

In a year, they transport approximately 1.6 million passengers and 216,000 cars on four routes traversing the sea between Denmark, Norway, Holland, and Great Britain.

When you travel with DFDS Seaways, you will experience a genuine maritime atmosphere, in style, and with a truly international level of service. Many professional travellers also consider them unrivalled in service and facilities for passenger and vehicle traffic.

The DFDS Group

DFDS Seaways is one of the two main divisions that make up the DFDS Group.

Freight Services are provided by the DFDS Tor Line Division.

DFDS Seaways passenger shipping activities are organised in routes on the North Sea and the Kattegat. In addition, DFDS operates canal and harbour tours in Copenhagen (DFDS Canal Tours).

DFDS Seaways route activities can be divided into two main areas: North sea and the Kattegat sea.

On the North Sea DFDS Seaways operates the routes Harwich-Esbjerg, Newcastle-Stavanger-Haugesund-Bergen, and Newcastle-Amsterdam.

On the Kattegat Sea DFDS Seaways operates the route Copenhagen-Oslo.

DFDS Seaways offers eight different product concepts: City Cruise Breaks, Groups, Conferences, City-to-City Breaks, Skiing holidays, Transport options with and without your car, - International tourists. Attractive destinations and a relaxing maritime experience are important for all these types of trips.

A Brief History of DFDS

1866	In 1866 a few small Danish shipping companies merged to form the oldest large shipping company in Denmark: DFDS, "Det forenede Dampskibs-Selskab" (The United Steamship Company).
1866 - 1869	The man who took the initiative, and who founded DFDS, the Danish financier Carl Frederik Tietgen, was born in Odense in 1829.
1870 - 1879	When the Port of Esbjerg opened in 1873 it was the only large port on the west coast of Jutland, and from 1875 DFDS began the service from Esbjerg to England.
1880 - 1900	After continued expansion of the fleet in the 1880s, DFDS became one of the world's ten largest ship owning companies.
1901 - 1920	All the ships that were in the U.S.A. were chartered by American shipping companies from 1917 until some time after the end of the war, for service between the U.S.A. and the West Indies or South America.
1921 - 1939	The emigrant route Libau-Danzig-Copenhagen began as a 'feeder route' for the Scandinavian-American Line.
1940 - 1945	After the occupation of Denmark in 1940 most of the motor ships were laid up due to lack of bunker fuel, and DFDS lost control of 31 of its ships.
1946 - 1949	The most serious 'war loss' took place long after the end of the war: In 1948, 48 people drowned when KJØBENHAVN hit a mine.
1950 - 1960	In 1957 Nordana Line - cargo service Gulf of Mexico-Mediterranean - began. DFDS introduced the 'door-to-door' principle with the entering of RIBERHUS and AXELHUS into domestic service in 1950.
1961 - 1965	In 1964 J. Lauritzen was in possession of more than 50% of the share capital, and the shipowner Knud Lauritzen and Director Henry Jensen were elected to the board of directors.
1966 - 1969	The 100-year anniversary was celebrated with a reception on board m.s. ENGLAND in Copenhagen. In January 1967 the white cross logo was introduced on the funnel. New liners to USA and South America entered into service.
1970 - 1980	Domestic passenger traffic was discontinued in 1970. Passenger service in the Mediterranean from Genoa to Tunis and Malaga began in 1971. The Transport Division was established and an integrated door-to-door transport system was a reality. The first collaboration with Tor Line AB began.
1981 - 1990	In 1982 DFDS took over Tor Line AB´s freight activities and six time-chartered ro/ro ships, and Scandinavian World Cruises began operation. In 1987 the Transport Division and the Liner Division merged into DFDS Transport. The marketing name Scandinavian Seaways for the DFDS passenger operations as a whole was introduced in 1988. DFDS Transport began air freight activities and expanded logistics activities.
1991 - 1998	Renewal of the passenger tonnage on the Copenhagen-Oslo route started with the entering into service in June 1990 of QUEEN OF SCANDINAVIA and CROWN OF SCANDINAVIA IN 1994. The new logo was introduced in 1993.
1999	The largest acquisition in the history of DFDS: the DFDS takeover of DanTransport Holding A/S including the DanTransport Travel Bureau and Canal Tours Copenhagen. Tax-free sales are discontinued on routes between EU countries.
2000	DFDS is approached by parties interested in acquiring the DFDS Dan Transport Group, at a very attractive price level for DFDS. DSV (De Sammensluttede Vognmænd af 13-7-1976 A/S) acquires the DFDS Dan Transport Group A/S in October.
2001	One of the main events of the year 2001 was the expansion of the DFDS Seaways' fleet through the acquisition of Star Aquarius. Formerly a cruise and casino liner, the vessel was christened PEARL OF SCANDINAVIA and entered into service on the Copenhagen-Helsingborg/Oslo route on 26 June.
2002	The Harwich-Cuxhaven passenger route opens in February, replacing the previous route between the UK and Germany Harwich-Hamburg. The foundation stone of DFDS' new headquarter building at Sundkrogsgade 11 was laid on 6 June. A new concept, ro-pax vessels, was launched on the Esbjerg-Harwich route in August with the Dana Gloria. Opening of a new route between Copenhagen/Trelleborg and Gdansk in Poland on 2 October, on with the renamed DUKE OF SCANDINAVIA (Formerly DANA ANGLIA) sails. KING OF SCANDINAVIA and ADMIRAL OF SCANDINAVIA are sold in March and November respectively.
2003	DFDS Seaways begin the bareboat charter of the BERGEN. Renamed under the Danish flag as the DUCHESS OF SCANDINAVIA and enters service on the Harwich-Cuxhaven route on 17th April. DANA GLORIA is sold to Lisco on June 17th, and DANA SIRENA enters service as a replacement on the Harwich-Esbjerg route from 17th June. DFDS Seaways moves to its new headquarters in Copenhagen on August ;28th. Copenhagen-Trelleborg-Gdansk route is terminated on November 23rd and DUKE OF SCANDINAVIA is re-routed onto the NEWCASTLE-AMSTERDAM service following the sale of PRINCE OF SCANDINAVIA.
2004	Søren Jespersen appointed Chief operating officer at DFDS Seaways in February. New terminal building was inaugurated in Copenhagen in September 2004. QUEEN OF SCANDINAVIA has a major renovation of its Swimming pool and Sauna areas.
2005	Harwich-Cuxhaven route is closed and the chartered vessel Duchess of Scandinavia is returned to her Norwegian owners. New passenger ship purchased for the Newcastle-Amsterdam route.
2006	DUKE OF SCANDINAVIA which operated on our Newcastle-Amsterdam route is leased on a Bareboat charter terms to Brittany Ferries, and is replaced by KING OF SCANDINAVIA on the 11th March. PRINCESS OF SCANDINAVIA is sold in September, and the Newcastle-Kristiansand-Gothenburg route closes as a result. DFDS Seaways purchases ship and route from Fjord Line between Newcastle-Stavanger-Haugsend-Bergen - the route opens on 8th November. Copenhagen-Oslo route makes its last stop at Helsingborg in November. DFDS Celebrates its 140th Birthday on 11th December.