DFDS’ trade across the North Sea continues to grow
DFDS’ routes carried 6% more trailers between ports in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium and ports in the UK. “The UK is our largest freight market, and we are encouraged by the positive development which we have seen year-on-year in spite of the discussion about possible Brexit effects,” says CEO Niels Smedegaard.
The Bank of England expects the UK economy to grow by 1.6% in 2017, and UK export volumes have picked up since the British pound (GBP) depreciated after the Brexit vote in June 2016. “As we are also seeing positive developments in the EU economies as a whole, we are confident about the future. This is good news and supports our plan of deploying larger and more environmentally friendly ships on our North Sea routes in 2019 and 2020,” says Niels Smedegaard.
He adds, “It is also good news for the customers, manufacturers, exporters and transport companies we serve. Continued growth in trade will enable them to grow or maintain their activities and the many jobs they create.”
DFDS welcomes the UK Government’s recent initiative to maintain the free flow of goods through continuing the current flexible customs control between the UK and the EU after Brexit.