Area served English Channel Founded 2012 | Website [1] Parent organization DFDS | |
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Services Passenger transportation
Freight transportation | ||
DFDS Seaways France or New Channel Company A/S is the trading name of the ferry services across the Dover Strait and Parts of the Western Channel operated by DFDS Seaways and most formally operated by LD Lines.
History
In 2012 when SeaFrance was liquidated, DFDS and LD Lines started a joint service between Dover and Calais and formed New Channel Company A/S or DFDS Seaways France by merging certain LD Lines and DFDS routes into the new company such as LD Lines Portsmouth to Le Havre and Newhaven to Dieppe services and DFDS Dover to Dunkerque services but also along with the joint Dover- Calais service.
In June 2015, DFDS chartered the MyFerryLink/Eurotunnel ferries MS Rodin & MS Berlioz to enter service on 2 July 2015 when the MyFerryLink Dover-Calais ceased service. DFDS planned to keep 202 of the 600 French jobs currently employed by SCOP Seafrance, but in reaction to this decision, the French crew struck in Calais on 29 June 2015 and later occupied the two passenger vessels in Calais and started to vandalise the vessels. This has delayed their re-entry into Dover-Calais service. Meanwhile MS Calais Seaways has been diverted and placed on Dover-Dunkerque service and MS Malo Seaways has been laid up in Dover since 29 June. On 13 September both vessels were tugged to Dunkirk for refit and repaint, which showed the start of DFDS ownership of the vessels, which have subsequently been renamed Côte des Dunes and Côte des Flandres.