2000-2025: 25 years of Dover to Dunkirk ferries

DFDS is marking a quarter of a century on the Dover to Dunkirk route. To celebrate, the company is offering passengers specially discounted fares, recognising its long-standing employees, and looking ahead to the next 25 years and the decarbonisation of cross-Channel ferry travel.

The Dover to Dunkirk ferry service launched in its current form in 2000, initially carrying only freight, and later expanding to include passengers. It was first operated by Norfolkline, part of the Maersk group of companies, but was acquired by DFDS in 2010.

In 2005 three sister D-Class ships were built specially for the route. It was the biggest investment by any company operating on the Channel routes for more than a decade. The ships are easily recognisable thanks to the signature large bow windows, which offer panoramic views of the English Channel for passengers. Each weighing 34,500 gross tonnes, the ships carry up to 1,000 passengers, 200 cars and 120 freight vehicles, significantly increasing capacity from the 214 passengers carried by their predecessors. All three D-Class ships are operated by British crews working under the UK ship register.

At the time of its launch, the new service saw DFDS competing for traffic with companies running on the popular Dover to Calais route. When the company launched its own Calais service in January 2012, the Dunkirk route enabled it to offer more choice and flexibility to its passengers and freight customers. The operator is now the largest ferry company on the Channel, earning the trust and custom of millions of passengers each year thanks to its reliability, flexibility and commitment to excellent customer service.

To celebrate the anniversary of the route the company is offering special £25 day-trip fares throughout March for passengers travelling by car on the Dover to Dunkirk service. Once onboard, customers can also enjoy special £25 promotional offers on a selection of products in the duty-free shops. For more information, or to book visit www.dfds.com.

More than 43 million people have travelled from Dover to Dunkirk over the past quarter of a century. Behind every passenger, freight driver or coach group’s journey is a team of people who do extraordinary things daily to keep the Dover to Dunkirk service running. More than 1,000 people work onboard the company’s ships, at the ports and in offices at Dover and Dunkirk to keep the service running 24-7, 364 days each year.

Among them are four individuals who have worked for the business since the Dunkirk route started 25 years ago. Wayne Bullen joined the company in 2000, transferring from Norfolkline in Felixstowe where he had worked since 1983. He was joined by Cheryl Hawes in the freight sales team at Dover, Catherine Van De Vyvere in freight sales at Dunkirk, and Bertrand Demester, marine and facilities manager at Dunkirk. Wayne said: “We had a sailing every eight hours, which at the time wasn’t attractive to our customers, but we had the right attitude. We had the right drive and determination, and customers believed in the future. We went from one vessel to three, with a sailing every two hours, so our product now is as strong as our customers expect it to be.”

On average there are 6,800 sailings on the Dover to Dunkirk route every year, with the service pausing only on Christmas Day. Reliability is a key factor in the company’s ability to offer this frequency and year-round service. Unlike some of its competitors, the company sends the three D-Class ships for maintenance and an upgrade to passenger areas as part of an annual refit programme.

Incorporating modern technology and innovations to extend the life of the current ships on the route has been integral to DFDS’ approach. In 2021, Dover Seaways was fitted with an Artificial Intelligence-supported propulsion control system to increase propeller efficiency and achieve fuel and CO2 savings of up to six per cent. A host of additional measures introduced by the company since 2019 have enabled it to reduce emissions across the 66 ships operating its route network by 30 per cent.

These initiatives include the ‘every minute counts’ programme, which combines optimisation of the sailing schedule with ‘slow steaming’, or running the ships below their maximum speeds, to reduce emissions from existing ships. The company is also collaborating with customers, suppliers and partners to drive the circular economy, minimise waste and encourage reuse.

DFDS has set out a clear path and is making significant investments to move from being powered by fossil fuels to operate instead with new technologies and alternative fuels for the good of the business and of our planet. It aims to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and to decarbonise operations fully by 2050.

The decarbonisation commitments DFDS has adopted provide a clear vision for the next quarter century on the Channel. Central to this is a commitment to invest millions into the electrification of its operations and the introduction of game-changing alternative fuels to replace fossil fuels.

By 2030, DFDS will introduce electric ships on the English Channel. It is investing €1 billion over the next five years to build six new battery electric ships, which will be deployed on the Dover to Dunkirk and Dover to Calais routes. Working with world-leading experts in battery technology, ship design and energy efficiency, the company will design advanced electric ships using production methods that have the least possible impact on the environment. In addition, it is partnering with the Port of Dunkirk, the Port of Boulogne Calais and the Port of Dover to develop the infrastructure required on land to accommodate charging facilities at the ports.

Filip Hermann, vice-president BU Channel and Baltics, said: “The 25th anniversary of our Dover to Dunkirk route is an opportunity for us to reflect on the incredible contribution that our employees have made to consistently and reliably deliver more choice, greater flexibility and excellent service every time. The route is an increasingly vital link between the UK and Europe, giving freight customers and passengers two options when they travel from Dover and relieving pressure on the Calais service.

“Over recent years, we’ve come through times of change and challenge, always working to adapt and reap the benefits of opportunities, such as the return of duty-free to the Channel, to enhance what we offer our customers. Our anniversary year is a time for us to look forward to the next quarter of a century. We are investing heavily in new technologies and new tonnage, with plans for a fully electric fleet to be introduced over the next decade.”

For more information or to book visit www.dfds.com.

Michelle Ulyatt / Sandy Fleming

Roch PR Ltd

T: +44 1304 272082

E: dfdsteam@rochpr.com

DFDS provides ferry and transport services in and around Europe, generating annual revenues of EUR 2.3 bn.

To over 10,000 freight customers we deliver high performance and superior reliability through ferry & port terminal services, and transport and logistics solutions. DFDS delivers high reliability to more than 10,000 freight customers through ferry and port terminal services and transport and logistics solutions.

For more than five million passengers, it provides safe overnight and short sea ferry services.

Our 12,700 employees are located on ships and in in offices across 20 countries. DFDS was founded in 1866, is headquartered in Copenhagen, and listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.

In the UK, DFDS operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Newhaven to Dieppe.

DFDS has been named ‘Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for 12 years running (2012-2023), as well as the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for the last 12 years (2011-22).

DFDS currently operates up to 54 sailings a day between Dover and Calais and Dunkirk. DFDS also offers two daily sailings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. In addition, the UK network includes a passenger and freight service between Newhaven and Dieppe, which has four daily sailings and is owned by Transmanche Ferries.

For further information about DFDS, or to find out about the latest sailing times, fares and offers across all routes from the UK, visit www.dfds.com.