To enable our freight customers to grow their business and to support trade and growth in Europe, DFDS has ordered two additional freight ship (RoRo) new buildings for delivery in early 2020.
“The ships form part of our new building programme that underpins our ability to deliver the transport capacity required by our customers and our continuous pursuit of efficiency improvements,” says Niels Smedegaard, CEO.
The ships are similar to the two ships ordered in September 2016, for delivery in early 2019, and are likewise designed to each carry 6,700 lane metres of freight equivalent to around 450 trailers. The large size of the ships will decrease unit costs as well as the environmental impact per transported unit.
The two ships will also be built by Jinling Shipyard in China.
Both ships are planned to be deployed in DFDS’ route network on the North Sea.
The ships represent a new generation of environmentally friendly ro-ro ships as they comply with the latest environmental rules of the new IMO-standard EEDI (Energy Efficency Design Index). Also included are scrubbers for the removal of sulphur, ballast water treatment systems and a number of energy efficiency initiatives.
Investment outlook raised slightly
The investment in the two ships totals around DKK 1.0bn to be paid during the period from ordering to delivery in early 2020. More than half of the payment is due on delivery.
Following the new order DFDS’ investment outlook for 2017 is raised to DKK 1.8bn from previously DKK 1.7bn.
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