DFDS Loses English Channel Ferry Gig

zoom Danish passenger and freight shipping company DFDS Seaways said it will terminate operations on the publicly owned ferry route between Dieppe in France and Newhaven in England after the companys current contract expires at the end of 2015.  The Syndicat Mixte de Promotion de l’Activité Transmanche (SMPAT), the public owner of the ferry route, announced that the ship management and route operation will not be tendered for 2016, and that SMPAT will start running the service itself as of January 1, 2016. DFDS will thus cease to operate the route connecting East Sussex with the European continent at the end of the year. However, DFDS will reportedly continue to handle bookings and marketing on the route until the end of March 2016 to allow smooth transition. The route has been bringing DFDS around DKK 300 million (USD 45.4m) in annual revenue. All seafarers and the majority of the shore-based organisation related to the route will be taken over by SMPAT, according to the statement.