DFDS Seaways has sold its oldest passenger ship, m.s.
KING OF SCANDINAVIA, to a shipping company with operations
in the Mediterranean region. Takeover is planned for
mid-April. The parties have agreed not to disclose the
purchase price. The sale is part of DFDS’ strategy to
reduce the average fleet age.
The KING OF SCANDINAVIA was to have sailed the new route
to Poland, which was scheduled to open on 23 April
2002. The opening has now been postponed until 1
October 2002, when m.s. DANA ANGLIA, currently operating on
the Esbjerg-Harwich route, will be entered into service on
the route. A replacement ship for the DANA ANGLIA on the
Esbjerg-Harwich route will be found either by reallocating
a vessel from the existing fleet or by chartering suitable
tonnage.
Furthermore, the original sailing schedule will be
changed so that the route to Poland will be
Copenhagen-Trelleborg-Gdansk.
The new sailing schedule is possible because the port
authorities in Gdansk – the region’s most interesting
destination – have put a terminal at our disposal. Surveys
have shown that the southern Swedish market holds
considerable potential for travel to Poland. When the route
starts, the DANA ANGLIA will therefore sail
Copenhagen-Trelleborg-Gdansk and vice versa. Gdansk
replaces Gdynia because it is a more attractive destination
and has a better infrastructure.
Combining the markets of Zealand, southern Sweden and
Poland, the new route will conform to DFDS Seaways’
city-to-city concept already known from other routes and is
a step towards achieving the goal of offering opportunities
for new activities with a strong maritime
element.
The DANA ANGLIA will berth in Copenhagen at
Kvæsthusbroen and transfer to the passenger terminal in
Søndre Frihavn in early 2004, together with the ships
operating the Oslo route. Departure from Copenhagen will be
16.00 hours, with arrival in Gdansk at 10.00 hours the
following day.
Best regards,
Thor Johannesen