DFDS’s renaming of its multi-vessel passenger and freight fleet will be complete when Harwich-Esbjerg ro-pax ferry Dana Sirena (2003/22,382gt) returns to the North Sea route on 14 March as Sirena Seaways following dry-docking in Bremerhaven.
Earlier in the year a last link with iconic operator Tor Line went, with ro-ro vessel Tor Botnia (2000/11,530gt) renamed Botnia Seaways while being refitted at Klaipeda, Lithuania. DFDS took over Tor Line passenger operations in 1981 and their freight fleet the following year, with freight services then marketed as DFDS Tor Line.
Tor Line first appeared on the North Sea in 1966, starting a triangular service linking Gothenburg with Immingham and Amsterdam. They peaked in the mid-1970s, introducing striking twins Tor Britannia and Tor Scandinavia, which went on to serve DFDS as Prince and Princess of Scandinavia and continue working in the Mediterranean as MobyDrea and Moby Otta.
Copenhagen-Oslo vessel Crown of Scandinavia (1994/35,498gt) returned to service on 18 January as Crown Seaways after a big refit at the Remontowa yard in Gdansk, Poland, including almost complete interior renovation with work to upgrade restaurants, night club and bars, conference rooms and cabins. There was also mechanical attention, shot blasting and repainting of underwater areas.
