DFDS enters Baltic Sea space charter agreement and expands capacity on strait of Gibraltar

August 12, 2026
Credit: DFDS
  • Space charter agreement with TT Line covering freight and passengers
  • Agreement covers DFDS route Klaipeda-Karlshamn
  • DFDS also granted access to capacity on TT Line routes Klaipeda-Trelleborg and Klaipeda-Travemünde
  • Agreement expected to be effective from 1 October 2025

To enhance the efficiency and scope of our Baltic Sea ferry network, DFDS has entered into a mutual space charter agreement with TT Line on the combined freight and passenger (RoPax) route Karlshamn-Klaipeda that both parties operate today.

The agreement grants in addition DFDS access to capacity on two TT Line routes: Klaipeda-Trelleborg and Klaipeda-Travemünde.

The agreement is planned to become effective for freight on 1 October 2025 on all three routes. For passengers, the agreement will be effective on Karlshamn-Klaipeda on 1 October 2025 and on 1 November 2025 on the other two routes.

The space charter agreement enables customers to board the next available sailing on Karlshamn-Klaipeda regardless of the operator. All commercial activities and relationships with customers remain entirely under the control of each operator.

The new space charter agreement increases frequency for customers on Karlshamn-Klaipeda and expands DFDS’ network. The agreement will also help reduce emissions as it enables each operator to reduce the number of sailings on Karlshamn-Klaipeda while the total availability of sailings for customers increases.

DFDS operates two combined freight and passenger ferries (RoPax) on Karlshamn-Klaipeda and four other ferries on Baltic Sea routes connecting Germany and Sweden, Sweden and Estonia, and Denmark and Lithuania.

DFDS has entered into an agreement to purchase part of the assets of Naviera Armas’ Strait of Gibraltar ferry operations. Besides one combined freight and passenger ferry (RoPax) and one high-speed catamaran ferry (HSC), the purchase includes taking over existing permits related to route operations and around 200 employees. The asset purchase price is DKK 240m and the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

“The growth of the Strait of Gibraltar ferry market has exceeded our expectations since we entered the market in 2024. The two ferries we are purchasing are already operating on overlapping routes and we expect to deliver a smooth transition and an immediate enhancement of services to both passengers and freight customers”, says Mathieu Girardin, Head of Ferry Division, DFDS.

DFDS currently operates two ferry routes on Strait of Gibraltar: Algeciras-Tanger Med and Algeciras-Ceuta. Naviera Armas’ two ferries are deployed on the same routes and the purchase expands and enhances the customer offering to both freight customers and passengers. The expansion furthermore adds scale to operations in a growing market.

The two ferries being purchased are the RoPax ferry Volcan de Tamasite built in 2004 and the HSC Villa de Agaete built in 1999. In addition, the capacity share of a freight ferry (RoRo) shared among the incumbent operators on Algeciras-Tanger Med is increased.

The capacity expansion is expected to add revenue of around DKK 500m in 2026. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2026 and is therefore not expected to impact 2025 financials. The purchase is expected to be accretive to earnings in 2026.

Source: GlobeNewswire

Related News.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

if you dont want to swim alone in the ocean of news, sign up for the newsletter, and you will receive daily all the important news of world shipping!

* indicates required
Consent *
By submitting this form you agree to receive Email Marketing

Design & Development by P.KAN.DESIGNER

Design & Development by P.KAN.DESIGNER

Privacy Preference Center