It is predicted that DFDS’ combined income growth as compared to 2020 will be 20-25% greater this year, and the DFDS fleet will welcome its latest addition – the first newly built ro-pax type ferry in 40 years, reinforcing the Baltic Sea routes served from Klaipėda.
DFDS strategic investment in Lithuania
According to managing director at DFDS Lietuva Jonas Nazarovas, over the course of 20 years, DFDS has invested more than 400 million euros into operations in Lithuania, creating one of its passenger and cargo hubs for the Baltic Sea in Klaipėda Seaport and planning continued investment into improving service quality and strengthening the company’s positions. Nazarovas emphasises that the biggest and most important investment was the experienced and professional team built over this time, which has earned recognition across the DFDS Group.
“DFDS’ operational scope has greatly increased in Lithuania over the past two decades, and during the pandemic, the company demonstrated maturity and an ability to adapt to the ever-changing situation. At the start of the pandemic, and of course, later on, we ensured the successful functioning of the only remaining transport corridor between Lithuania, Western Europe and Scandinavia, as well as the safe transportation of cargo and passengers; alongside our partners in seaports in Lithuania, Estonia and Sweden we helped organise successful passenger testing for COVID-19; and together with kitchen chef D. Praspaliauskas, we renewed the menus at the Mare Balticum restaurants. This autumn, we look forward to our fleet being supplemented by a new ferry, which is due to be completed in China,” says the DFDS Lietuva managing director.
Cargo shipments and logistics compensate for the lack of passengers across Europe
Through the use of ferry and port services as well as transport and logistics solutions, DFDS serves over 10,000 cargo-carrying clients. Founded in Copenhagen in 1866, today the company has offices in twenty different countries. Based on the report for the first quarter, the greatest growth across the entire DFDS was recorded in the cargo transportation sector where, compared to last year, profits before tax grew by 25 per cent.
The company plans to continue strengthening its positions in the cargo transportation sphere and integrating HSF Logistics Group into the DFDS family. Purchased by DFDS in early 2021, HSF Logistics Group is one of Europe’s leaders in frozen produce logistics.
While there was growth in cargo shipment income, during the first quarter of this year, income from passenger transportation decreased by 72 per cent. Nevertheless, the combined income decrease is one per cent. The report notes that the Mediterranean Sea Division was particularly successful, and the cargo shipping business was also able to successfully adapt to changes in circumstances due to Brexit, managing the increased transport volumes on the Europe-Ireland route.
While passenger volumes decreased on some routes in 2020, DFDS recorded better-than-expected results in the Baltic Sea. “We found ways to adapt to the pandemic conditions and continue successfully offering passenger and cargo transportation services on three routes. As we mark the 20th anniversary of DFDS operations in Lithuania, we are glad that despite difficulties to all of DFDS’ divisions in Europe, we were able to cope with the pandemic challenges quite well,” emphasises managing director Nazarovas.
More info on www.dfds.lt
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