DFDS has entered an agreement with the Danish Armed Forces to provide freight ferries for the transport of military equipment.
The contract extends the scope of the current contract and starts in 2026, running for up to six years. Eight DFDS Ro-Ro freight ferries 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.
The ferries will be chartered and made available to the armed forces at short notice for the given period that the vessels will be needed.
The agreement was signed by DFDS, the 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 Armed Forces, while ARK is a cooperation between Germany and Denmark to secure access to strategic sea transport.
The vessels include six named and two unnamed vessels. The latter will be chosen based on the specific operational needs of the armed forces in the given context.
The vessels are equipped with special features such as enhanced manoeuvrability, the ability to load dangerous goods, and sufficient capacity for heavy vehicles.