The total volumes for freight in May 2022 were 11% above 2021 driven by higher volumes in all business units, except Baltic Sea.

Channel’s freight volumes were elevated by a competitor’s suspension of sailings for most of the month compared to last year. Volumes in the Mediterranean network continued to grow supported by higher capacity. The war in Ukraine lowered Baltic Sea volumes between mainly Germany and Lithuania compared to 2021.

The number of passengers increased eightfold to 296k equal to 68% of volumes in May 2019, the latest comparable month pre-Covid-19.

“Our freight volumes for May shows satisfactory progress. We have seen stability in the North Sea, and continued growth in the Mediterranean network, while the war in Ukraine continues to affect the Baltic Sea. In the passenger transport segment, the recovery is quite strong with the number of cars at 89% compared to 2019. If we zoom in on the mini cruise segment, the recovery is on track but slower than the transport segment, partly because overseas passengers are still absent,” Peder Gellert Pedersen, EVP and Head of DFDS Ferry Division, explains.