DFDS awarded extended contract with Danish Defence
DFDS has entered an agreement with the Danish Defence to provide freight ferries for the transport of military equipment. At a time of increasing geopolitical uncertainty, the partnership will support military operations and missions. The contract extends the scope of the current contract and starts in 2026, running for up to six years.
DFDS expands and extends its cooperation with the Danish Defence. Eight DFDS freight ferries (RoRo) are to be made available for the transport of military equipment and other commodities for military operations, missions, training exercises, humanitarian disaster relief situations and routine transports.
Under the contract, DFDS will ensure safe and efficient delivery of critical assets on the European continent to support security and defence operations, by leveraging its extensive fleet and freight transport capabilities. The ferries will be chartered and made available to the Danish Defence at short notice for the given period that the vessels will be needed.
The agreement is signed with Joint Movement and Transportation Organization (JMTO) and the ARK Project (ARK), and replaces the current contract agreed in 2020. JMTO is the strategic transport unit of the Danish Defence, while ARK is a cooperation between Germany and Denmark to secure access to strategic sea transport
“We are honoured to have been selected for this critical assignment, and I am proud that we will continue our longstanding cooperation with The Danish Defence and the ARK project. It shows the value of strong public-private partnerships that can foster resilience amid growing geopolitical tensions and rising economic uncertainty, and we look forward to contributing with our knowledge about transport and logistics,” says Torben Carlsen, CEO of DFDS.
The vessels include six named and two unnamed vessels. The latter will be chosen based on the specific operational needs of the Danish Defence in the given context. The vessels are equipped with special features such as enhanced manoeuvrability, ability to load dangerous goods and sufficient capacity for heavy vehicles.
DFDS has cooperated with the Danish Defence for many years, including support and cooperation with the ARK project since its start in 2003. DFDS vessels have contributed to numerous deployments for Denmark, Germany and other NATO allies.