Portsmouth - Le Havre - Portsmouth

LD Lines' English Channel operations commenced in October 2005, operating between Portsmouth, England and Le Havre, France. This service was introduced following the withdrawal of P&O Ferries' longstanding operation on this route.

There is one sailing per day in each direction, with the Portsmouth-Le Havre sailing taking place overnight. This uses one vessel, the MS Norman Spirit. On 28 March 2008 it was announced that a second ship would be introduced on the Le Havre route to operate alongside the Norman Spirit. The new ship, referred to as the Norman Voyager in Pierre Gehanne's blog, is currently under construction in Italy and will enter service in November 2008. The new ship is a near sister of the Mersey Viking and Lagan Viking which are operated by Norfolkline on their Liverpool-Belfast service. LD Lines was also awarded the Innovation of the Year award for the LD Sleeper Seat concept (pictured right). Passengers who chose an LD Sleeper Seat travel in a spacious lounge with first-class style 180 degrees reclining seats and showers. This innovation offers passengers a lower priced alternative to cabins, and is an option that it is still far more comfortable than travelling on a budget airline.
 

Rosslare - Le Havre - Rosslare

From November 2008 LD Lines will open a weekly passenger and freight service between Le Havre and Rosslare, Republic of Ireland. The new ferry currently under construction in Italy will serve the route departing from Le Havre on Fridays and returning from Rosslare on Saturdays. The crossing time is expected to be 20 hours.

Newhaven - Le Havre - Newhaven

LD Lines was one of 5 companies invited to tender for the operation of Transmanche Ferries 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 5 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 roundtrips between Dieppe and Newhaven LD Lines started a single roundtrip per day between Le Havre and Newhaven during high season using the MS Seven Sisters.

General Information for LD Lines

Within the framework of a public procurement contract, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs has been selected to run Transmanche Ferries, which will become a sister company of LD Lines.

This arrangement will ensure not only the continuity and development of the Dieppe-Newhaven line but also an increase in the frequency of services to Le Havre.
Le Havre now benefits from a new summer link with Newhaven, in addition to the daily link with Portsmouth.

For over 100 years.
LD Lines is a subsidiary of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group, a major player in maritime transport since 1904, now with a fleet of over 60 ships operating worldwide.

Partner of the world’s major companies
Louis Dreyfus Armateurs is active in shipping and providing “tailor made” industrial solutions.

"Tailor made" industrial solutions
Besides regular maritime transportation, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs has developed a strong capacity for innovation, offering major industrial companies “made-to-measure” solutions.
Thus, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs is the maritime partner of Airbus Industries for transporting elements of the A380 from European manufacturers to Toulouse; of Alcatel for the laying of undersea cables; of the Compagnie Générale de Géophysique for off-shore oil research; of Gaz de France for the transportation of liquid gas.