DFDS
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DFDS A/S, an abbreviation of Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab (literally The United Steamship Company) is a Danish shipping company. DFDS was formed in 1866 as a merger of various minor shipping companies under the leadership of industrialist Carl Frederik Tietgen. After the takeover of Thingvalla Line in 1898, the Scandinavian America Line was established.
During its history DFDS has absorbed several other ferry operators into itself, including Tor Line (purchased 1981) and Prinz Ferries (also purchased 1981). Although DFDS have generally concentrated on freight and passenger traffic on North Sea (and to a lesser extent the Baltic Sea), they operated a ferry service in the Mediterranean between 1971 and 1981, as well as a ferry service from New York to Freeport as well as Miami - Freeport in the early 1980's under the name Scandinavian World Cruises (which later developed into SeaEscape). Between 1988 and 1999 the company's passenger services were marketed under the name Scandinavian Seaways. As of 2005, DFDS is the largest and oldest Danish shipping company.
Today, passenger activities are operated by DFDS Seaways, whereas freight activities are operated by DFDS Tor Line, DFDS Lys Line and DFDS LISCO.
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[edit] DFDS Seaways
Image:Princess of Scandinavia Gothenburg.jpg DFDS Seaways is the passenger-carrying division of DFDS A/S. It operates five cruiseferries and one ro-pax ferry on routes connecting Denmark to Norway and United Kingdom to the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. The company has recently (2006) renewed their fleet, purchasing M/S King of Scandinavia and M/S Princess of Norway to replace the last ships dating from the 1970's still in service. The company as acquired a reputation as something of an expert in purhcasing used ships, as the last time DFDS Seaways ordered a newbuilding was in 1978. In 2006 DFDS Seaways stopped serving Sweden when M/S Princess of Scandinavia was taken off service and the Copenhagen - Oslo service ships stopped calling at Helsingborg.
[edit] Fleet
- M/S Dana Sirena, Harwich—Esbjerg
- M/S King of Scandinavia, Newcastle—IJmuiden (Amsterdam)
- M/S Queen of Scandinavia, Newcastle—IJmuiden (Amsterdam)
- M/S Princess of Norway Newcastle—Stavanger—Haugesund—Bergen
- M/S Crown of Scandinavia, Copenhagen—Oslo
- M/S Pearl of Scandinavia, Copenhagen—Oslo
[edit] Former Ships
Not a complete list.
- M/S Skipper Clement, served 1964-1976. Now M/S Europa I with Skenderbeg Lines
- M/S Akershus, served 1965-1973. Burnt and sunk 1989.
- M/S Winston Churchill, served 1967-1996. Scrapped 2004.
- M/S Kong Olav V, served 1968-1984. Burnt 1993, later scrapped.
- M/S Prinsesse Margrethe, served 1968-1983. Scrapped 2005.
- M/S Aalborgshus, served 1969-1971 / M/S Dana Sirena, served 1971-1975, 1976-1977, 1978 / M/S Dana Corona, served 1978-1985. Now M/S Tian E, laid up in China
- M/S Trekroner, served 1970-1971 / M/S Dana Corona, served 1971-1979 / M/S Dana Sirena, served 1979-1983. Sunk 1994
- M/S Dana Regina, served 1974-1990. Now M/S Vana Tallinn with Tallink
- M/S Dana Anglia, served 1978-2002 / M/S Duke of Scandinavia, served 2002-2006. Currently chartered to Brittany Ferries as M/S Pont L'Abbé
- M/S Dana Gloria, served 1981-1984 and 1986-1989 / M/S King of Scandinavia, served 1989-1994. Now M/S Jupiter, laid up as a housing ship
- M/S Tor Scandinavia, served 1981-1991 / M/S Princess of Scandinavia, served 1991-2006. Now M/S Moby Otta with Moby Line
- M/S Scandinavia, served 1982-1985. Now M/S Island Escape with Island Cruises
- M/S Tor Britannia, served 1982-1990 / M/S Prince of Scandinavia, served 1990-2003. Now M/S Moby Drea with Moby Line
- M/S Hamburg, served 1987-1997 / M/S Admiral of Scandinavia, served 1997-2002. Now M/S Caribbean Express with Access Ferries
- M/S Duchess of Scandinavia, served 2003-2005. Now M/S Atlantic Traveller with Fjord Line
[edit] DFDS Tor Line
DFDS Tor Line is the main freight-carrying division of DFDS. It operates a large number of RO-RO freighters on the North Sea as well as the Baltic Sea. It was formed as merger of DFDS' and Tor Line's freight operations after DFDS bought the latter in 1982 (until 1988 the passenger service between Sweden and the United Kingdom was also marketed as DFDS Tor Line).
[edit] DFDS LISCO
DFDS LISCO, formerly Lithuanian Shipping Company, was purchased by DFDS in 2001. It operates freight- and passengerships in the southern Baltic Sea, conencting Germany to Lithuania, Latvia and Russia as well as Sweden to Lithuania.
[edit] DFDS Lys Line
DFDS Lys Line transports freight from Norway, Sweden and Denmark to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Italy, offering door-to-door transportation. The company was originally founded in 1970.
