DFDS and Moby are to swap two sets of ferries as the Danish operator looks to boost services between Holland and the UK.
The Italian ferry operator has agreed to sell the ropaxes 5,500-dwt Moby Wonder (built 2001) and 5,600-dwt Moby Aki (built 2005) to DFDS.
DFDS said it was acquiring the ships for the purpose of “raising the customer experience” and the capacity for both passengers and freight customers on the Amsterdam-Newcastle route.
Moby will in turn acquire the two passenger ferries currently operating between Amsterdam and Newcastle — the 4,110-dwt King Seaways (built 1987) and Princess Seaways (built 1986).
DFDS will subsequently bareboat charter from Moby the King Seaways until January and the Princess Seaways until February.
The Moby Wonder and Moby Aki will undergo refurbishment work prior to being deployed on the Amsterdam-Newcastle route during the first quarter of 2020.
The freight capacity will increase to around 40% on a full-year basis, while car capacity will increase around 5% on a full-year basis.
In 2018, the Amsterdam-Newcastle route carried more than 600,000 passengers, 122,000 passenger vehicles and 350,000 lane metres of freight.
DFDS said the capacity increase will provide an “opportunity to accommodate further growth” in trade and travel, including a large tourism flow, between the UK and Continental Europe.
“The new ferries are ideally suited for our Amsterdam-Newcastle route,” said Peder Gellert Pedersen, head of DFDS’ ferry division.
“Their modern onboard facilities and higher car-deck capacity will allow us to grow revenue by fulfilling the growing demand from high-yield car passengers.
“To freight customers, we will be able to offer increased capacity that can remain constant throughout the year.”
The expected completion in October 2019 of the sale of the two ferries is estimated to create an accounting profit of around DKK 100m ($14.7m) to be recognised in the fourth quarter.
The investment in the renewal, including proceeds from the sale of the Princess Seaways and King Seaways, is expected to amount to around DKK 1bn, DFDS said.
