Danish shipping and logistics company DFDS has bought a combined freight and passenger ship Ro-Pax, Athena Seaways, from Grimaldi Holding Spa for DKK 300 million (approx. USD 45 million).
The ship was built in 2007 and bareboat chartered by DFDS in December 2013, with an option to buy the vessel. Since then, it was deployed in DFDS’ Baltic route network on either Kiel-Klaipeda or Karlshamn-Klaipeda.
The reason behind the purchase is that the ship’s freight and passenger capabilities fit the current and expected needs in the Baltic market, in addition to the favorable conditions of the Ro-Pax ship market, according to DFDS.
Built by Italy’s Nuovi Cantieri Apuania shipbuilder, Athena Seaways has a gross tonnage of 25,993. The 8,500 dwt vessel features a length of 199 meters and a width of 26.5 meters. It can accommodate 600 passengers.
The company says it expects its full year investments in 2016 to total DKK 1.9 bn (approx. USD 300,000 million) compared to previously DKK 1.6 billion.