Waiting for pronunciamento of the court on the future of SeaFrance, group DFDS throws again own supply and demand



Shipowning group Danish DFDS has closed the third trimester of this year with a profit before taxes of 332 million Danish crowns (44,6 million euros), in increase of 48% regarding 225 million Danish crowns in the correspondent period of 2010. The revenues are diminished of 7% to 3.110 million Danish crowns and the operating profit has been attested 424 million to Danish crowns (+24.3%).

In the first nine months of the 2011 group it has totaled a profit before taxes of 640 million Danish crowns, with an increment of the 111% on the period January-september last year. The revenues are increased of 28% to 8.879 million Danish crowns and the operating profit has grown of 44% to 704 million Danish crowns

While the president and managing director of DFDS, Niels Smedegaard, have thrown again the validity of the offer introduced from the Danish group with the French Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) in order to acquire the company of SeaFrance navigation of railway group SNCF ( on 26 July 2011).

The pronunciamento of the commercial court of Paris on the future of SeaFrance is attended in order today, that it is addressed only in two directions: the liquidation of the society or its cession. Waiting for the sentence, yesterday SeaFrance has suddenly announced the decision to interrupt for 48 hours own marine service that connects the ports of Dover and Calais in order to safeguard – it has explained the company - safety of the passengers, the crews, the vehicles and the ships.

Smedegaard has emphasized that the offer introduced from DFDS and LDA is the only option in order to allow the rescue of SeaFrance and, second how much brought back from the French daily paper "the Voix du North", the president and CEO of DFDS have defined a "mirage" the assumed constitution of a cooperative by the dependent of SeaFrance with the objective to save the company as – according to Smedegaard – such solution would not assure financial means in order to guarantee the activity of the four ships of the fleet and the dependent.

The proposal of DFDS purchase strongly is opposed by the unions as it previews the maintenance of sun three current ships and 460 of the one thousand places of job about (last year already were cut 700).