Historical Milestones in DFDS

It was C. F. Tietgen, the greatest figure in Danish commercial history, whose initiative it was to found the company. Like most of the other large businesses created by Tietgen, DFDS also survived the ups and downs of the times. The start went well because Tietgen's business idea was right.

Today DFDS is a financially sound company, growing nicely because through all the years of its existence, it has understood how to adapt its business idea - or philosophy - when this was necessary. However, we are still sailing on some of the routes begun in the 1800s.
1866 The Beginning
In 1866 a few small Danish shipping companies merged to form the oldest large shipping company in Denmark: DFDS, "Det forenede Dampskibs-Selskab" (The United Steamship Company).
1866-69
The man who took the initiative, and who founded DFDS, the Danish financier Carl Frederik Tietgen, was born in Odense in 1829.
1870-1879
When the Port of Esbjerg opened in 1873 it was the only large port on the west coast of Jutland, and from 1875 DFDS began the service from Esbjerg to England.
1880-1900
After continued expansion of the fleet in the 1880s, DFDS became one of the world's ten largest ship owning companies.
1901-1920
All the ships that were in the U.S.A. were chartered by American shipping companies from 1917 until some time after the end of the war, for service between the U.S.A. and the West Indies or South America.
1921-1939
The emigrant route Libau-Danzig-Copenhagen began as a "feeder route" for the Scandinavian-American Line.
1940-1945
After the occupation of Denmark in 1940 most of the motor ships were laid up due to lack of bunker fuel, and DFDS lost control of 31 of its ships.
1946-1949
The most serious "war loss" took place long after the end of the war: In 1948, 48 people drowned when KJØBENHAVN hit a mine.
1950-1960
In 1957 Nordana Line - cargo service Gulf of Mexico-Mediterranean - began. DFDS introduced the "door-to-door" principle with the entering of RIBERHUS and AXELHUS into domestic service in 1950.
1961-1965
In 1964 J. Lauritzen was in possession of a share capital of somewhat more than 50%, and the shipowner Knud Lauritzen and Director Henry Jensen were elected to the board of directors.
1966-1969
The 100-year anniversary was celebrated with a reception on board m.s. ENGLAND in Copenhagen. Mols Line began operation. In January 1967 the white cross logo was introduced on the funnel. New liners to USA and South America entered into service.
1970-1980
Domestic passenger traffic was discontinued in 1970. Passenger service in the Mediterranean from Genoa to Tunis and Malaga began in 1971. The Transport Division was established and an integrated door-to-door transport system was a reality. The first collaboration with Tor Line AB began.
1981-1990
In 1982 DFDS took over Tor Line AB´s freight activities and six time-chartered ro/ro ships, and Scandinavian World Cruises began operation. In 1987 the Transport Division and the Liner Division merged into DFDS Transport. The marketing name Scandinavian Seaways for the DFDS passenger operations as a whole was introduced in 1988. DFDS Transport began air freight activities and expanded logistics activities.
1991-1998
Renewal of the passenger tonnage on the Copenhagen-Oslo route started with the entering into service in June 1990 of QUEEN OF SCANDINAVIA and CROWN OF SCANDINAVIA IN 1994. The new logo was introduced in 1993. Thirteen companies were taken over by DFDS during the 90's. In 1998 DFDS took over Volvo's and Stora-Enso's terminal's in Immingham. New terminals in Venlo, Holland, Birmingham and Manchester, England, were taken into use.
1999-2007
The largest acquisition in the history of DFDS was the takeover in 1999 of Dan Transport Holding A/S. In 2001 DFDS acquired the passenger vessel PEARL OF SCANDINAVIA, plying the Copenhagen/Helsingborg-Oslo route. During the period 2001-2007 27 vessels were sold, including five passenger vessels, as part of the fleet strategy laid down in 2001 to reduce the average age of the fleet.

Last updated 08/02/2008
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