DFDS May 2025 Volumes: Freight Growth Outpaces Passenger Decline
DFDS recorded a 4.5% increase in freight volumes for May 2025, reaching 3.7 million lane metres, driven by growth in most network regions, though tempered by a Swedish strike and new ferry competition. Year-to-date (YTD) freight growth was modest at 0.6%. Conversely, passenger numbers fell 4.7% to 411,000, primarily due to lower Channel volumes, with YTD passenger growth down 3.6%. Over the past 12 months, freight volumes rose 4.5% to 41.6 million lane metres, while passengers increased 17.4% to 6.2 million, reflecting route adjustments.
Freight Performance: In May 2025, DFDS’s total freight volumes reached 3.7 million lane metres, a 4.5% increase compared to May 2024, and 2.5% higher when adjusted for route changes. Year-to-date (YTD) figures showed a 0.6% rise, though adjusted growth was slightly negative at -0.3%.
- North Sea: Volumes exceeded 2024 levels, despite a late-month Swedish national strike disrupting Gothenburg port operations.
- Mediterranean: Volumes grew due to expanded capacity on the Tunisia-France route and a new Egypt-Italy route. However, adjusted for route changes, volumes dipped due to new ferry competition on the Türkiye-Italy route.
- Channel: Volumes surpassed 2024 levels, adjusted for the addition of Jersey routes.
- Baltic Sea: Volumes fell below 2024, primarily due to reduced capacity on one route following tonnage adjustments.
- Strait of Gibraltar: Volumes were higher than in 2024.
Over the last 12 months (2025-24), total freight lane metres rose 4.5% to 41.6 million from 39.8 million in 2024-23, with a 0.6% increase when adjusted for route changes.
Passenger Performance: Passenger numbers in May 2025 dropped 4.7% to 411,000 compared to 2024, adjusted for route changes, with a YTD decline of 3.6%. The decrease was largely driven by lower Channel volumes. Car numbers also fell, down 6.3% from 2024, adjusted for route changes.
For the 2025-24 period, total passengers grew 17.4% to 6.2 million from 5.3 million in 2024-23, though the adjusted increase was 1.4%, reflecting route changes.
Note: Adjustments account for the sale of the Oslo-Frederikshavn-Copenhagen route in October 2025, significant capacity changes on the Tarifa-Tanger Ville route before its exit in early May 2025, and the addition of Jersey routes from March 2025.
DFDS ferry volumes | |||||||||
May | Last-12-months | ||||||||
Freight | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | |
Lane metres, '000 | 3,282 | 3,510 | 3,668 | 4.5% | 39,274 | 39,839 | 41,613 | 4.5% | |
Passenger | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | |
Passengers, '000 | 385 | 574 | 452 | -21.2% | 4,275 | 5,288 | 6,210 | 17.4% |
Jun 12 2025
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