By
Rebecca Gibson |
DFDS Seaways has bought two passenger ferries from Groupe Eurotunnel’s subsidiary MyFerryLink, which was forced to sell its assets after a ruling by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.
Signed with the support of the French tourism minister on 31 August, the agreement will enable DFDS Seaways to operate both Berlioz and Rodin on the route between Dover, UK, and Calais, France, alongside its existing vessel Calais Seaways. The vessels are expected to begin service in the last quarter of 2015. Malo Seaways, which currently operates alongside Calais Seaways, will be deployed elsewhere on DFDS Seaways’ network.
As part of the agreement, 202 former SCOP-Seafrance employees who operated the MyFerryLink service will be employed by DFDS.
“This ends a long period of uncertainty for both our employees and our customers on the Channel as this agreement gives us the platform needed to create a sustainable ferry service on the Channel,” said Carsten Jensen, senior vice president at DFDS Seaways. “It also means that we have an equal number of French- and UK-flagged ships on the Channel, making the service a truly Anglo-French partnership, which we believe is in everyone’s best interests.”
In total, DFDS Seaways will operate three ferries between Dover-Calais and three on the Dover-Dunkirk route for both freight customers and passengers.