Danish ferry operator DFDS Seaways seems to be overtaking LD Lines in dropping ferry services during the autumn of September. Not only is the historic Harwich-Esbjerg link closing but Travemunde-Klaipeda is suspended due to the conflict in Russia and now the western Channel has been hit.

In 2014 Le Havre celebrates 50 years as a ferry port but on 15th September came the news that, due to continued losses, DFDS had started consultations with French unions about plans to close the Le Havre-Portsmouth route at the end of 2014. The route is part of DFDS’ business unit France & Mediterranean. The route carried 185,000 passengers and  480,000 lanemetres of freight in 2013 generating revenues of DKK 165 million. The route is serviced by the 18,425gt/2006 built and time-chartered Seven Sisters that replaced the Norman Voyager earlier in 2014. The ship, including crew, will be handed back to her owner at the end of 2014. So, in 2015 Brittany Ferries will operate the Etretat and 6,581gt/2000 built Normandie Express to Le Havre, seemingly without competition.

Will Brittany Ferries capitalise on this? Only time will tell. On the plus side the company increased capacity on its Rotterdam-Immingham freight route from 9th September via two extra round trips a week, in addition to the six that are already available. The 13,073gt/2000 built Anglia Seaways will join the 25,609gt/2009 built Fionia Seaways and 25,609gt/2008 built Hafnia Seaways (above).

As from 2nd September rival Stena Line opened new route from its existing terminal at Europoort (Rotterdam) to Killingholme. The freight-only service is operating thrice weekly using the 13,017gt/1996 built Stena Scotia that had spent August laid up on the River Fal. The Stena Transit and Stena Transporter on the Hoek of Holland-Killingholme service are often full to capacity, hence the addition of this ship from Rotterdam