DFDS to invest EUR 1bn in green ferries for the English Channel

Danish ferry and logistics company DFDS (CPH:DFDS) on Tuesday pledged to invest EUR 1 billion (USD 1.08bn) in battery electric vessels as part of a wider commitment to decarbonising maritime traffic in the English Channel.

The plan involves the deployment of six battery electric ships on the Dunkirk-Dover and Calais-Dover routes to carry passengers and freight between the UK and the European Union, the shipping company said.

The first two electric vessels are expected to be in operation by the end of the decade and the rest will follow before 2035.

“This is an important step towards decarbonising cross-Channel transport. Because of the relatively short distance between the UK and France, the routes are optimal for electric ferry transport,” said Torben Carlsen, CEO of DFDS.

The initiative was announced following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DFDS and the Port of Dover, the Port of Boulogne Calais and the Port of Dunkirk. The pact aimed to facilitate the parties’ collaboration to decarbonise maritime traffic in the Straits of Dover.

DFDS said it is working closely with national authorities, infrastructure partners and energy suppliers to secure the energy supply and infrastructure for electric ships, adding that ambitions are in place on both sides of the Channel to enable green transport corridors.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.083)

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