LD Lines
Encyclopedia
LD Lines is a French shipping company. It is predominantly a freight operator, with both deep-sea and ferry
operations, but also operates some passenger services. Its ferry routes are on the English Channel
and Mediterranean Sea
.
The company is a subsidiary of the Louis Dreyfus Group
.
, England
and Le Havre
, France
. This service was introduced following the withdrawal of P&O Ferries
' long-standing operation on this route.
Initially there was one sailing per day in each direction, with the Portsmouth-Le Havre sailing taking place overnight. This utilised one vessel, the MS Norman Spirit, which is ironically a former P&O vessel (used on their Dover
-Calais
route until May 2005).
On July 13, 2007 it was reported that LD Lines had ordered a new ro-pax ferry for the route from Singapore Technologies Engineering
, with an option for another ship of the same type. The ship, which will be capable of carrying 1215 passengers will enter service in 2010 and be named Norman Leader. She will be used on the route Le Havre - Portsmouth. On 17 March 2011, the contract for the purchase of the vessel was cancelled according to press release issued by ST Marine dated 19 March 2011. Reasons given for the cancellation are the delays and questions about the tonnage. The Norman Spirit has now resumed sailings on the Portsmouth - Le Havre route.
service between Dieppe
and Newhaven
. P&O Stena Line
operated the route until 1998 after which Hoverspeed
operated the route until 2004. Because the French government did not want the route to be lost, they started a new subsidised company by the name of Transmanche Ferries
in April 2001. After five years of successful service and the arrival of two newbuilds, the government decided to tender the line in a concession. The contract to operate the service was awarded to LD Lines on 21 December 2006. For this service they will receive an annual subsidy of up to €14.6 million. LD Lines commenced sailings on this route on 1 May 2007. In addition to three round trips between Dieppe and Newhaven LD Lines started a single round trip per day between Le Havre
and Newhaven during high season using the MS Seven Sisters. However in August 2008 they announced that this service would not be continued. Currently there are two sailings per day each way, one in the morning and one in the evening, using the Seven Sisters.
, using the Norman Spirit, which has been renamed the Ostend Spirit. They will also sell space on a TransEuropa Ferries vessel, the Larkspur
. This was originally the Oleander, however TransEuropa Ferries have chartered her out. In March 2011, TransEuropa Ferries
terminated their agreement with LD Lines and the Chartered Norman Spirit has been returned to LD lines, where she's currently serving the Portsmouth - Le Havre route again.
-Gijón
service the 2nd of September 2010. This route will receive a European Union
subsidy as part of its Motorways of the Sea
project.
LD Lines new vessel Norman Leader was due for delivery in summer 2011. The order was cancelled due to "capacities of the vessel not corresponding with those specified originally".
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
operations, but also operates some passenger services. Its ferry routes are on the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
and Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
The company is a subsidiary of the Louis Dreyfus Group
Louis Dreyfus Group
Louis Dreyfus Group is a diversified French private company that is involved in agriculture and energy commodities...
.
Le Havre - Portsmouth
LD Lines' English Channel operations commenced in October 2005, operating between PortsmouthPortsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. This service was introduced following the withdrawal of P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries
P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
' long-standing operation on this route.
Initially there was one sailing per day in each direction, with the Portsmouth-Le Havre sailing taking place overnight. This utilised one vessel, the MS Norman Spirit, which is ironically a former P&O vessel (used on their Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
-Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
route until May 2005).
On July 13, 2007 it was reported that LD Lines had ordered a new ro-pax ferry for the route from Singapore Technologies Engineering
Singapore Technologies Engineering
ST Engineering Ltd is an integrated engineering group providing solutions and services in the aerospace, electronics, land systems and marine sectors. Headquartered in Singapore, the group reported revenues of $5.05b in FY2007. With a market capitalisation of about $10b, it ranks among the...
, with an option for another ship of the same type. The ship, which will be capable of carrying 1215 passengers will enter service in 2010 and be named Norman Leader. She will be used on the route Le Havre - Portsmouth. On 17 March 2011, the contract for the purchase of the vessel was cancelled according to press release issued by ST Marine dated 19 March 2011. Reasons given for the cancellation are the delays and questions about the tonnage. The Norman Spirit has now resumed sailings on the Portsmouth - Le Havre route.
Dieppe - Newhaven
LD Lines was one of five companies invited to tender for the operation of Transmanche FerriesTransmanche Ferries
Transmanche Ferries is a ferry company that operates the Newhaven - Dieppe route across the English Channel.-History:Transmanche Ferries was formed after the previous operator of this route, P&O Stena Line, decided to concentrate on that company's primary route of Dover - Calais...
service between Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
and Newhaven
Newhaven, East Sussex
Newhaven is a town in the Lewes District of East Sussex in England. It lies at the mouth of the River Ouse, on the English Channel coast, and is a ferry port for services to France.-Origins:...
. P&O Stena Line
P&O Stena Line
P&O Stena Line was formed in 1998 after the merger of P&O European Ferries Ltd and the Dover and Newhaven operations of Stena Line.-History:...
operated the route until 1998 after which Hoverspeed
Hoverspeed
Hoverspeed, formed in 1981 by the merger of Seaspeed and Hoverlloyd, was a ferry company that operated on the English Channel from 1981 until 2005....
operated the route until 2004. Because the French government did not want the route to be lost, they started a new subsidised company by the name of Transmanche Ferries
Transmanche Ferries
Transmanche Ferries is a ferry company that operates the Newhaven - Dieppe route across the English Channel.-History:Transmanche Ferries was formed after the previous operator of this route, P&O Stena Line, decided to concentrate on that company's primary route of Dover - Calais...
in April 2001. After five years of successful service and the arrival of two newbuilds, the government decided to tender the line in a concession. The contract to operate the service was awarded to LD Lines on 21 December 2006. For this service they will receive an annual subsidy of up to €14.6 million. LD Lines commenced sailings on this route on 1 May 2007. In addition to three round trips between Dieppe and Newhaven LD Lines started a single round trip per day between Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
and Newhaven during high season using the MS Seven Sisters. However in August 2008 they announced that this service would not be continued. Currently there are two sailings per day each way, one in the morning and one in the evening, using the Seven Sisters.
Ramsgate - Ostend
LD Lines began operating this route on 18 March 2010 in partnership with TransEuropa FerriesTranseuropa Ferries
TransEuropa Ferries operates a ferry service between Ramsgate, Kent, UK and Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium. TransEuropa Ferries n.v. is the cross channel satellite arm of TransEuropa Shipping Lines d.o.o. of Slovenia....
, using the Norman Spirit, which has been renamed the Ostend Spirit. They will also sell space on a TransEuropa Ferries vessel, the Larkspur
MV Larkspur
The MV Larkspur is a freight and passenger ferry which is owned and operated by Transeuropa Ferries.-History:The MV Larkspur was launched for Gedser-Travemünde Ruten as the Gedser in 1976. In 1986 Gedser was sold to Sally Line for use on the Ramsgate Dunkirk route and renamed Viking 2...
. This was originally the Oleander, however TransEuropa Ferries have chartered her out. In March 2011, TransEuropa Ferries
Transeuropa Ferries
TransEuropa Ferries operates a ferry service between Ramsgate, Kent, UK and Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium. TransEuropa Ferries n.v. is the cross channel satellite arm of TransEuropa Shipping Lines d.o.o. of Slovenia....
terminated their agreement with LD Lines and the Chartered Norman Spirit has been returned to LD lines, where she's currently serving the Portsmouth - Le Havre route again.
Saint-Nazaire - Gijón
LD Lines will launch a Saint-NazaireSaint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The town has a major harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Brière"...
-Gijón
Gijón
Gijón , officially Gijón / Xixón, is a coastal industrial city and a municipality in the autonomous community of Asturias in Spain. Early mediaeval texts mention it as "Gigia". It was an important regional Roman city, although the area has been settled since earliest history...
service the 2nd of September 2010. This route will receive a European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
subsidy as part of its Motorways of the Sea
Motorways of the Sea
Motorways of the Sea are a concept in the transport policy of the European Union, stressing the importance of sea transport. The main aim of these Motorways of the Sea is to improve port communications with peripheral regions of the European continent and thus strengthen the networks between the EU...
project.
Fleet
LD Lines operates a fleet of five RoRo passenger ferries and one high speed ferry.| Name | Image | Built | Entered service | Tonnage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cote d'Albatre | 2006 | 2006 | 18425 GT | Laid up | |
| Norman Arrow HSC Norman Arrow The Norman Arrow is a high speed catamaran operated by LD Lines between Portsmouth and Le Havre. She is the worlds largest diesel powered catamaran.-History:... |
2009 | 2009 | 10,500 GT | ||
| Norman Spirit |  |
1991 | 2005 | 28,883 GT | |
| Norman Voyager | 2008 | 2008 | 26,904 GT | ||
| Seven Sisters | 2006 | 2006 | 18,654 GT | Operates for Transmanche Ferries Transmanche Ferries Transmanche Ferries is a ferry company that operates the Newhaven - Dieppe route across the English Channel.-History:Transmanche Ferries was formed after the previous operator of this route, P&O Stena Line, decided to concentrate on that company's primary route of Dover - Calais... |
|
LD Lines new vessel Norman Leader was due for delivery in summer 2011. The order was cancelled due to "capacities of the vessel not corresponding with those specified originally".