AUGUST VOLUMES IMPACTED BY SLOWDOWN IN SOME MARKETS
| INVESTOR NEWS no. 29 - 12 September 2025 |
Ferry – freight: Total volumes in August 2025 of 3.1m lane metres were 1.9% below 2024 and 3.9% lower adjusted for route changes. YTD growth rates were 0.1% and -1.2%, respectively.
North Sea volumes were below 2024 driven by mainly lower activity on routes calling the UK. Mediterranean volumes were below 2024 following a slowdown in Turkish automotive manufacturing and domestic demand as well as reduced capacity on one route.
Channel volumes were above 2024 driven by the new Jersey routes. Baltic Sea volumes were above 2024 while Strait of Gibraltar volumes were on level with 2024.
For the last twelve months 2025-24, the total transported freight lane metres increased 2.5% to 41.6m from 40.6m in 2024-23. The increase was 1.9% adjusted for route changes.
Ferry – passenger: The number of passengers in August 2025 was adjusted for route changes* down 3.3% to 911k vs 2024 and the adjusted YTD growth rate was -3.8%. Higher passenger volumes in Baltic Sea were offset by mainly lower Channel volumes. The number of cars in August was 3.2% below 2024 adjusted for route changes.
For the last twelve months 2025-24, the total number of passengers decreased 10.1% to 5.6m compared to 6.2m for 2024-23. The growth rate was -3.0% adjusted for route changes.
*Adjusted for sale of Oslo-Frederikshavn-Copenhagen end October 2025, exit from Tarifa-Tanger Ville early May 2025, and addition of Jersey routes from end March 2025.
| DFDS ferry volumes | |||||||||
| August | Last-12-months | ||||||||
| Freight | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | |
| Lane metres, '000 | 2,967 | 3,193 | 3,134 | -1.9% | 38,585 | 40,600 | 41,622 | 2.5% | |
| Passenger | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change | |
| Passengers, '000 | 715 | 1,207 | 980 | -18.8% | 4,422 | 6,249 | 5,619 | -10.1% | |
DFDS reports monthly ferry volumes for freight and passengers to provide insight into the development of volume trends in our European route network enabling trade and travel in and around Europe. The September 2025 volume report is expected to be published on 10 October 2025 at around 10.00am CET.
Contact
Torben Carlsen, CEO
Karen Boesen, CFO
Søren Brøndholt Nielsen, IR
Dennis Kjærsgaard, Media
About DFDS
We operate a transport network in and around Europe with an annual revenue of DKK 30bn and 16,500 full-time employees.
We move goods in trailers by ferry, road & rail, and we offer complementary and related transport and logistics solutions.
We also move car and foot passengers on short sea and overnight ferry routes.
DFDS was founded in 1866 and headquartered and listed in Copenhagen.
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