Transmanche Ferry Covers in for DFDS Dry-Docking of Rosslare Europort-Dunkirk Route Ropax

6th March 2025

Jehan Ashmore

Côte D’Albâtre sporting its distinctive yellow livery of Transmanche Ferries when alongside Rosslare Europort is covering in for the winter dry-docking of DFDS main Dunkirk route ropax, Athena Seaways. AFLOAT highlights this is the first call to the Irish port from the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry which DFDS operates on behalf of the French regional authority SMPAT. In the early hours of this morning, the newcomer departed on the 24 hour crossing to mainland continental Europe. Credit: Rosslare Europort-Linkedin

Côte D’Albâtre of Transmanche Ferries recently entered service on the Rosslare Europort-Dunkirk route, operated by Danish firm DFDS, which this month is to launch its new Jersey services, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The arrival of Côte D’Albâtre is to allow one of the Ireland-France routes, Athena Seaways (see related story), to undergo dry-dock maintenance until the end of March. Afloat tracked the ropax having departed Dunkirk in late February, which led to the ferry arriving at Gdansk, Poland at the beginning of this month.

Côte D’Albâtre is operating with the other routine route partner, Optima Seaways, on a service that takes 24 hours to connect the two EU member states.

The Côte D’Albâtre's role, according to DFDS, is to ensure seamless service for freight and passenger traffic and maintain the strong connection between Ireland and mainland Europe.

Côte D’Albâtre otherwise normally operates on the English Channel route of Newhaven-Dieppe, which is branded as Transmanche Ferries but is operated by DFDS. As Afloat previously reported, DFDS won the Transmanche 5-year ferry contract to continue operating the English Channel route from 1 January 2023 on behalf of the French authority, the Syndicat Mixte de Promotion de l’Activité Transmanche (SMPAT).

Currently running the 4-hour Newhaven-Dieppe link is Côte D’Albâtre’s younger twin, Seven Sisters, which is the route’s reserve vessel. Both were built in 2006 for Transmanche Ferries in Spain at the Astilleros Barreras S.A. shipyard in Vigo.

Last year, DFDS sent Seven Sisters for berthing trials in the Channel Islands, as DFDS was among those bidding to win a new contract to provide passenger and freight services to the UK and France.

However, Jersey's decision to pick DFDS as its preferred bidder puts the island at odds with neighbouring Guernsey, which had awarded Brittany Ferries, which last year acquired a controlling stake of the island's incumbent operator Condor Ferries.

Both operators will commence their respective new roles from each of the islands starting on 28 March.

Published in Rosslare Europort

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About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals.

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