DFDS to launch ferry lifeline service to Jersey by end-March

January 6, 2025, by Naida Hakirevic Prevljak

Danish ferry and logistics company DFDS has been selected to provide freight and passenger services to Jersey—the largest of the Channel Islands—with a fleet of vessels including high-speed ferries.

As informed, DFDS and the Government of Jersey have signed a contract for Jersey’s ferry services. Over the next 20 years, the 1866-founded Danish company will provide freight and passenger services connecting Jersey of the Channel Islands to the UK and France beginning March 28, 2025.

The new service will include routes from Jersey to Poole and Portsmouth in the UK and Saint-Malo in France.

DFDS said it committed to increasing ferries’ frequency to address high demand in peak periods, introducing high-speed ferries to the UK and investing in three new vessels by 2032.

The ferry operator shared no additional details on the new vessels.

“We are excited to embark on this journey with Jersey and the local community. The life-line ferry service is a vital link for the island, and we are fully committed to delivering reliability and an enhanced travel and transport experience for islanders, businesses and visitors. We look forward to building a strong partnership with Jersey and serving the community,” Torben Carlsen, CEO of DFDS, commented.

Specifically, DFDS’ Jersey fleet will comprise one roll-on/roll-off passenger (RoPax) vessel, two high-speed crafts, and a dedicated freight vessel to meet the diverse needs of the island.

“Tourism and hospitality are important parts of the local economy. We will support connectivity with short travel time and meet demand with the right frequency of ferries, and providing freight capacity, enabling islanders to travel off-island and attracting more visitors to Jersey, and thereby support tourism in the region,” Filip Hermann, VP BU Channel & Baltics at DFDS, said.

Last month, DFDS was selected as the preferred bidder for the provision of services to Jersey. The company is already present in the English Channel where it operates two routes between Dover, Calais, and Dunkirk and a route between Newhaven and Dieppe.

In May 2024, the company unveiled a substantial €1 billion investment in battery electric vessels, marking its commitment to decarbonizing maritime traffic in the English Channel. DFDS is to invest the sum in six battery electric ships that will be deployed on the Dunkirk-Dover and Calais-Dover routes to carry passengers and freight between the UK and the European Union.