zoomImage Courtesy: DFDS

Danish shipping and logistics company DFDS has decided to close its Rosyth – Zeebrugge route following a fire which broke out aboard the company’s Ro-Ro freight ship Finlandia Seaways on April 16.

The ship was towed to DFDS’ terminal in Immingham for cargo discharge operations. An inspection was also undertaken aboard the ship.

“The inspection revealed substantial damage to the ship’s engine room, and we estimate that it will be out of service for several months for repairs. Furthermore, our search for a replacement vessel was fruitless and revealed that there are no suitable ships available,” Kell Robdrup, Senior Vice President of DFDS’ routes connecting to the southern part of the North Sea, said.

“Unfortunately, this will bring about further losses on the route, and it means that we have lost all hope of being able to turn around the route’s loss-making situation. Therefore, we have no alternative but to close the route as we undoubtedly will lose clients who will be forced to seek alternative solutions for their transport,” Robdrup added.

With the new situation with the ship out of service for months, the market, the customers and the financial situation “will be negatively affected, and make a turnaround and a reopening unrealistic.”

DFDS informed that the closure will affect a limited number of people employed by the company as port handling was performed by external companies.

The company has not made any decisions yet as regards the deployment of Finlandia Seaways when it returns from the repair docking.

Following the closure of the Rosyth – Zeebrugge route, DFDS connects the UK with the continent via ten routes.