DFDS and CLdN have agreed to extend their space charter agreement on the Zeebrugge–Gothenburg ferry route for a further five years, while also increasing freight capacity on the connection between Belgium and Sweden.
The route, which links Western Europe with Scandinavia, is served by two dedicated freight ferries jointly operated by the two companies. Under the renewed agreement, capacity will be expanded through additional lane metres, allowing more freight units to be carried and providing greater flexibility for different cargo types, including automotive, industrial cargo and bulk liquids.
According to the operators, the service will continue to offer four departures per week in each direction. The frequency and increased capacity are intended to strengthen trade links between Scandinavia and Western Europe and to support growing demand on the corridor.
Alternative to congested road corridors
For freight operators, the Zeebrugge–Gothenburg route offers an alternative to long-distance road and rail transport on northbound and southbound European corridors, where congestion and capacity constraints remain a persistent challenge. The sea connection allows hauliers and logistics providers to bypass heavily used road networks while maintaining predictable transit times.
The companies also point to lower well-to-wheel CO₂e emissions per transported unit compared with road-only transport, a factor that is becoming increasingly relevant as shippers seek to reduce the environmental footprint of long-haul freight movements.
Jacob Andersen, vice president for North Sea at DFDS, said the extended agreement would allow the companies to further develop the route, particularly for industrial logistics solutions, supported by terminal infrastructure and inland distribution connections at both ends.
Despite the shared capacity arrangement, DFDS and CLdN emphasise that each operator will continue to manage its own commercial activities independently.
Part of a wider freight ferry network
The Zeebrugge–Gothenburg service forms part of DFDS’s wider ferry network, which includes 17 freight-only routes and 13 combined freight and passenger routes across Europe, the UK and Ireland, Türkiye and North Africa.
By extending the agreement to 2030 and increasing capacity on the route, the two operators signal that sea-based alternatives are expected to play a continued role in easing pressure on European road freight corridors, particularly on long-distance links between Western Europe and Scandinavia.
