Copenhagen, 16 November 2010
Announcement no 41/2010
DFDS' current tonnage cooperation with the Danish and German defence is
expanded to at least five ships. DFDS orders two ro-ro newbuildings for
delivery in 2012.
DFDS has since 2003 cooperated with the Danish defence, and since 2006 also
with the German defence, on delivery of tonnage capacity for defence transport
assignments (ARK project). A new agreement has now been entered into with
charter agreements covering the period 2010-2021 replacing the current charter
agreements which expire between 2010 and 2012.
The number of DFDS ships in the cooperation is increased to at least five ships
from the present two ships. The agreement is contingent on two ships being
newbuildings for delivery in the first half of 2012. Moreover, one ship is on a
full time charter to the defence, while the other ships are available with
varying periods of notice between 15 and 60 days. When the ships are not
deployed by the defence, they are deployed in DFDS' route network. All ships
are Danish flagged.
On this background DFDS has ordered two ro-ro newbuildings with a freight
capacity of each 3,000 lanemetres plus container capacity of 342 TEU. The ships
will be built by the German shipyard P+S Werften GmbH, Stralsund, and the
design accommodates both defence as well as DFDS requirements. The total order
sum is DKK 950 m (EUR 128 m) of which 80% is financed by a 12 year loan
extended by KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH. The investment is carried out over three years
with DKK 200 m in 2010, DKK 560 m in 2011 and DKK 190 m in 2012.
- Our cooperation with the Danish and German defence has been very effective
and to the benefit of all parties since the beginning in 2003. We are happy to
be able to extend and expand the cooperation. DFDS' investment in two
newbuildings is in itself a sound investment and at the same time part of the
ongoing renewal of our fleet. The two newbuildings will be able to replace
chartered freight ships and thereby a high level of flexibility is maintained
in the fleet, says Niels Smedegaard, CEO of DFDS.
