DFDS has chartered another ship to operate on its cross-Channel routes.

An agreement has been signed with the owners of the former SeaFrance ship Moliere that the ferry will be chartered for service between Dover and France, where DFDS/LD Lines operates its Dover-Dunkerque and Dover-Calais routes.

She will be deployed on the Dover-Dunkerque route from November 4 under her new name Dieppe Seaways, mainly to provide additional freight capacity.

The ferry will operate alongside the two large passenger and freight ships, the Dover Seaways and Dunkerque Seaways which are already in service on the route.

DFDS will move the third sister ferry, the Delft Seaways, from Dover-Dunkerque to Dover-Calais, where she will replace the Deal Seaways, which is being returned to its owners.

In total there will be up to 44 departures per day between Dover and France.

Senior Vice President Carsten Jensen, head of DFDS’ Channel ferry business, says: "With the deployment of Dieppe Seaways, DFDS will enhance and secure our Channel service so we and our committed crews can provide our customers with the right quality of service to meet their needs and requirements.

"Our Dover-Calais route will be greatly enhanced by Delft Seaways. Her speed and large capacity will enable us to deliver the very high capacity and frequency that our customers need. Furthermore, the high quality of the ship's facilities will enable us to provide our passenger and freight drivers with a great travel experience, offering a modern, comfortable interior and a unique service."

The Dieppe Seaways was built at Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft in 2002 and sailed on routes in both the Baltic and North Seas before she was deployed in 2008 on the Channel by the former SeaFrance. Since the demise of SeaFrance, the ship has been out of service.

She is 203 metres long, 25 metres broad and offers a capacity of more than 1900 lane metres of cargo, including driver facilities.

Before being brought into operation, the ship will be reflagged to the French flag and painted in DFDS livery.