The reduction in passenger traffic in the Strait of Gibraltar has affected DFDS's operational results during September 2026. The Danish shipping company has reported a year-on-year decrease of 4.7% in the number of travelers transported across all its maritime routes, a trend it mainly attributes to the lower activity recorded in the Strait connections.
According to the monthly report published by the company on October 13, DFDS transported 403,000 passengers during September, compared to the 423,000 recorded in the same month of 2025. The information provided does not include a specific breakdown by routes, although it explicitly identifies the Strait of Gibraltar as the main factor explaining the reduction in the overall volume of travelers.
In the cargo segment, the company recorded 3,488,000 linear meters of rolling cargo, compared to 3,498,000 in the previous year, representing a decrease of 0.3%. The trend was different depending on the markets in which the shipping company operates, with increases in certain European regions and decreases in other connections.
In contrast, freight traffic in the North Sea surpassed the figures from September 2025, thanks to an increase in volumes between continental Europe and the United Kingdom, which offset the lower activity in the Scandinavian automotive sector. Mediterranean routes also recorded growth, distributed among much of the connections in this region.
On the other hand, traffic in the English Channel decreased as a result of the general contraction in the ferry market. DFDS also reported declines in the Baltic Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar, which it associates with a slowdown in freight transport in both areas.
The accumulated data from the last twelve months shows that the shipping company has transported 41.76 million linear meters of cargo, 0.3% more than in the equivalent previous period. However, when adjusting the figures to account for changes in its route network, the variation becomes negative, at 0.5%.
The trend in passenger transport presents a more significant reduction. Over the last twelve months, DFDS has accounted for 4.90 million travelers, compared to 5.48 million in the previous period, which represents a decrease of 10.5%. Once changes in the routes operated are taken into account, the decline stands at 6.4%.
In the port sector, the statistics from the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA), corresponding to the accumulated data up to August 2026, place the passenger traffic from the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa at approximately 4.5 million persons, 3.6% less than during the first eight months of 2025.
During the same period, the transport of industrial vehicles between both shores of the Strait reached 359,306 units, with a year-on-year increase of 0.9%. Vehicles under passenger conditions totaled around one million units, 3.1% less than in the previous year. These figures correspond to the set of operators and connections managed by the port authority, not exclusively to DFDS's activity.
The publication of the September results coincides with the reorganization of DFDS's operational capacity in the Strait. On October 8, the company confirmed the acquisition from Naviera Armas of the ferry Volcán de Tamasite, an operation that has the authorization of the competition authorities of Spain and Morocco.
The vessel, which has the capacity to transport up to 1,469 passengers and 1,414 linear meters of cargo, is scheduled to join the Algeciras-Tanger Med connection in mid-November. With this incorporation, DFDS will have three ferries in its Strait fleet, in addition to taking on the operational permits associated with the acquired activity.
The shipping company performs more than 10,000 annual crossings on its routes in the Strait of Gibraltar, intended for the transport of passengers and cargo between Europe and North Africa. Among the main categories of cargo utilizing these connections are fresh products, automotive components, textiles, and industrial and specialized goods.
