TRIESTE – The Danish company DFDS, which operates the Samer Seaports terminal in Trieste together with the Samer Group (Ro-Ro terminal for the Motorway of the Sea with Turkey), has raised its rates despite competition.

In theory, it could also reduce capacity on its routes if there is no improvement in the ongoing freight rate war with Grimaldi’s ferries, recently docked at HHLA Plt Italy’s Logistics Platform.
This is stated in the presentation of the first quarter 2025 report, which shows that, after an initial price cut in late 2024 (due to Grimaldi’s competitive pressure), DFDS increased its rates again in early 2025.

DFDS closed the first quarter of 2025 with revenues of 7.5 billion Danish kroner (approximately €1.01 billion), marking an 8% increase over the same period last year. However, EBIT was negative at 117 million kroner (around €15.7 million), a drop of 317 million kroner compared to Q1 2024.

The company aims to restore profitability by focusing on its core customer base—manufacturers of high-value goods such as automotive, machinery, chemicals, and textiles—and by improving service reliability through additional calls on the European side of Istanbul. The intense competition caused the Ferry division’s EBIT to plummet from +169 million to -9 million kroner (from about €22 million to -€1.2 million), despite signs of improvement at the end of the quarter. “Earnings performance improved toward the end of Q1,” the company noted. DFDS expects 2025 to be a transition year for profit recovery, with weaker results in the middle quarters and a rebound anticipated by year-end.

The reorganization also affects the logistics branch in Turkey and Southern Europe, with a streamlined network, workforce reduction from 3,700 to 3,000 employees, and the ongoing closure of offices and warehouses. “Turkey and Southern Europe – downsizing of network and equipment,” the document states, confirming that the turnaround remains one of the top three priorities for 2025, alongside revamping the Mediterranean services and “Boost” projects to improve logistics efficiency across Europe.

Despite the challenging environment, DFDS aims to close the year with EBIT of around 1 billion kroner (approximately €130 million), driven by organic growth and strict cost discipline. The Trieste terminal remains a strategic asset, but it will face stronger competition and increasing margin pressure in the months ahead.