The 92% DFDS-owned company, AB Lisco Baltic Service in Lithuania, has purchased the Ro-Pax vessel SVEALAND from Stena RoRo for delivery at the end of April 2006. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Immediately after transfer, the ship will be deployed on the Kiel/Klaipeda service. This service will thus be able to offer increased capacity and six weekly departures in each direction with a sailing time of no more than 20 hours. On the date of delivery, the ship will change its name to LISCO OPTIMA, and will sail under the Lithuanian flag.
The purchase is part of the DFDS strategy of fleet renewal, also in the Baltic, where ro-pax vessels dominate the market.
The SVEALAND was built in 1999, and has a freight capacity of 2,300 lane metres and capacity for 327 passengers in 78 cabins. The ship's service speed is 21.5 knots.
To accommodate increasing demand on the Danish ro-ro service Fredericia/Copenhagen-Klaipeda, the ro-ro vessel TOR MAXIMA (freight capacity 2,700 lane metres) has been deployed on the service on 24 February, 2006, thereby increasing the capacity of the service by almost 60%. The service, which was established twelve years ago, will continue to offer two weekly departures in each direction.
In the Baltic, DFDS Tor Line/Lisco operates three Ro-Ro freight services and three Ro-Pax services served by six Ro-Pax ships and three Ro-Ro ships. Freight turnover on these services rose by more than 10% in 2005, while the number of passengers rose by approximately 12%, states Ole Frie, Managing Director of DFDS A/S.
DFDS A/S
For further information, contact Managing Director Ole Frie, telephone +45 3342 3400.