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DFDS North Sea Update - Coronavirus (COVID-19)

UPDATE 08/07/2020 14.42

We are pleased to announce that the Amsterdam - Newcastle v.v service will be commencing again on the 15th July.

Please see statement from DFDS Seaways to provide details.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank for you continued support and co-operation during the past few months, and we look forward to returning to normal business operations.


UPDATE 01/07/2020 15.38

Please be advised that due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19, we have had to take the decision to extend the suspension of our Amsterdam - Newcastle v.v service until July 15th.

As before, we are able to offer viable alternatives for unaccompanied units on our Immingham or Felixstowe services ex Vlaardingen. We also have limited spaces for drivers on these routes (subject to our Health Declaration procedures.)


UPDATE 22/06/2020 12.44

Driver accompanied units

Due to the ongoing concerns in connection to COVID-19, DFDS have a duty to ensure the health and safety of all our personnel and any individual travelling with us, and to comply with government legislation. This means there are additional measures in place with regards to driver accompanied vehicles. We therefore kindly ask you to take note of the following important information and respond where required.

For movements into the UK

Please confirm that the driver has visited www.gov.uk/uk-border-control to confirm requirements and completed the on line form

Please ensure that the driver follows instructions from the terminal and vessel crew and abides by any social distancing requirements. Anyone showing any signs of illness should refrain from travel

A temperature check may be administered by a member of the vessels crew after boarding the vessel. If a temperature of over 37.5C is detected, indicating a fever, the Master of the vessel reserves the right to refuse passage. In these circumstances the driver will be required to disembark immediately.

For movements from the UK

Please ensure that the driver follows instructions from the terminal and vessel crew and abides by any social distancing requirements. Anyone showing any signs of illness should refrain from travel

A temperature check may be administered by a member of the vessels crew after boarding the vessel. If a temperature of over 37.5C is detected, indicating a fever, the Master of the vessel reserves the right to refuse passage. In these circumstances the driver will be required to disembark immediately.


UPDATE 05/06/2020 16.21

Further to recent updates from UK Government for travel into UK, Please find attached letter of information regarding the UK Government guidelines on travel into the UK, and the self-isolation rules in place due to COVID-19.

Please take note of the Government requirements for any person entering the UK applicable from Monday 8th June

Those who are exempt from the 14 day isolation requirement (i.e freight drivers) must now complete an online form, providing details of their journey and contact details to the Government. As the operator, DFDS Seaways is tasked with ensuring this is completed for every driver entering the UK, therefore we have amended our Health Declaration Form to provide link to the form.

We kindly ask that this form is distributed to all hauliers, but we shall also provide a copy upon request of any accompanied unit through to or from UK.


UPDATE 03/06/2020 16.18

Please be advised that due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19, we have had to take the decision to extend the suspension of our Amsterdam - Newcastle v.v service until June 30th.

As before, we are able to offer viable alternatives for unaccompanied units on our Immingham or Felixstowe services ex Vlaardingen. We also have limited spaces for drivers on these routes (subject to our Health Declaration procedures.)


UPDATE 19/05/2020 11.27

Please be advised that due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19, we have had to take the decision to extend the suspension of our Amsterdam - Newcastle v.v service until June 17th.

As before, we are able to offer viable alternatives for unaccompanied units on our Immingham or Felixstowe services ex Vlaardingen. We also have limited spaces for drivers on these routes (subject to our Health Declaration procedures.)


UPDATE 04/05/2020 11.57

Please be advised that due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19, we have had to take the decision to extend the suspension of our Amsterdam - Newcastle v.v service until June 3rd.

As before, we are able to offer viable alternatives for unaccompanied units on our Immingham or Felixstowe services ex Vlaardingen. We also have limited spaces for drivers on these routes (subject to our Health Declaration procedures.)


UPDATE 09/04/2020 11.27

Please be advised that due to the ongoing situation surrounding COVID-19, we have had to take the decision to extend the suspension of our Amsterdam - Newcastle v.v service until May 20th.

As before, we are able to offer viable alternatives for unaccompanied units on our Immingham or Felixstowe services ex Vlaardingen. We also have limited spaces for drivers on these routes (subject to our Health Declaration procedures.)


UPDATE 08/04/2020 10.46

I’m pleased to inform you we have evaluated the situation and decided to start accepting accompanied bookings from re-sellers/agents which are known to DFDS. However the driver must have been travelling with DFDS recently (since 1st January 2019).

This concern the following routes - Esbjerg-Immingham, Cuxhaven-Immingham, Rotterdam-Immingham & Rotterdam-Felixstowe.

There are still restriction in place onboard the ships such as:

  • single cabin to each driver which unfortunately will reduce driver capacity on some of the routes.
  • Drivers will have to stay in their cabins during the crossing and not socialize in the driver areas.
  • No buffet. meals are served on plates/doggy bag to the cabins or drivers eating in shift in the driver lounge.

These are some of the important restrictions. Crew will inform about other restriction once driver is onboard.

DFDS Covid-19 Health Declaration form must be filled in and returned to DFDS before departure/showing up at the terminal.

DFDS Covid-19 Health Declaration form | DFDS Covid-19 Customer Information


UPDATE 03/04/2020 15.33

In relation to the on-going restrictions being imposed due to COVID-19, please be informed the Gent Terminal will update its Opening hours as of Monday April 6th 2020 and until further notice.

New opening hours will be:

  • Monday-Saturday: 05:15-21:30 hrs
  • (If sailing on Friday/Saturday: 05:15 - 23:30 hrs)
  • Sunday: Closed

We very much appreciate your understanding and co-operation during this challenging time.


UPDATE 01/04/2020 08.38

Following the notification on Friday regarding the critical number of standing trailers on our terminals, we have pleasingly seen a healthier pattern of units being collected. Therefore, with immediate effect the restrictions have been lifted for all terminals (Rotterdam, Immingham & Felixstowe), meaning our standard terminal conditions (5days/tariff) are to be applied.

We are working very hard in finding solutions for short-term parking of your Trailers through these troublesome times, and have already secured premises at a nearby location (Steinweg terminal) in the Rotterdam harbour, and aim to further strengthen this with a large area in Botlek. We shall communicate these options as soon as possible.

We shall continue to monitor the situation closely, and hope the parking solutions will assist your operation as we approach the usually quieter Easter period.


UPDATE 27/03/2020 14.29

Further to previous notifications regarding the submission of completed and double signed Dangerous Good Notes (DGN's) before a units arrival to Immingham terminals, we now need to advise that we are no longer able to accept signed copies handed in from the hauliers and must request them in electronic format before acceptance onto quay.


UPDATE 27/03/2020 14.21

Cuxhaven - Immingham Sailing Schedule April 2020 UPDATE I / New Cuxport working times.

Due to the recent developments in connection with the Corona virus we unfortunately have to adjust our capacity until further notice.

The delivery and pick up times for trailers will be unchanged (24/7).

New Cuxhaven - Immingham Sailing Schedule


UPDATE 25/03/2020 09.32

Due to the recent development with Covid 19 / Corona the Gothenburg Roro Terminal (GRT) will close its visit expedition at Port Entry from Thursday 26/3. Port Entry will still be available on mail and telephone at their regular opening hours and will help to resolve the situation that has arisen in the best possible way.


UPDATE 19/03/2020 15.47

Please be advised that we are doing what we can to safeguard everyone who works for or has connection with DFDS. As such, the directive has been that we are limiting our accompanied bookings out of Immingham and Felixstowe.

This is an ever changing scenario and we will be constantly reviewing our processes to ensure we offer customers the best but safest service possible.

We are able to confirm unaccompanied units on our services moving forward, but not driver accompanied,


UPDATE 19/03/2020 10.25

Please be advised that due to the current situation surrounding COVID-19, we have had to take the decision to temporally suspend our Amsterdam - Newcastle v.v service as from 22nd March 2020.

Last sailings as follows;

  • Ex Amsterdam - 21st March
  • Ex Newcastle - 22nd March

Please be assured this decision has not been made lightly and will be under constant review, but the current global climate is dictating these actions.


UPDATE 18/03/2020 10.12

New check-in procedure in Klaipeda. Find out more


UPDATE 17/03/2020 15.14

Updated instructions for precautions being taken during this time across our business.

This message effects the following services;

  • Rotterdam - Immingham / Felixstowe v.v
  • Esbjerg - Immngham v.v
  • Cuxhaven - Immingham v.v
  • Immingham - Gothenburg/Brevik
  • Ijmuiden - Newcastle v.v

Covid-19 Customer Info | Pre-Travel Health Declaration


To significantly reduce the risk of crew infection and cross contamination between travelling drivers and crew of the new corona virus covid-19, we have decided to stop bookings of accompanied units and any other passengers on our North Sea routes from Gothenburg to Ghent, Immingham or Zeebrugge with effect as of Monday March 16, 2020 and until further notice.

Our services will run as normal but will be restricted to the shipment of drop trailers and unaccompanied vehicles. Units that are normally driver accompanied can of course continue to be shipped, but only on an unaccompanied basis.

DFDS keeps monitoring the development closely and will provide information about relevant development as soon as possible.

The safety of our customers and our crew is our top priority.

DFDS Seaways

08 July 2020

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