Italy’s Grimaldi Group has accused DFDS of using “unfair” methods at the Port of Trieste, alleging that the Danish company under-uses its own Samer terminal and directs ships to HHLA PLT Italy “to obstruct Grimaldi’s traffic,” creating congestion and truck queues.
Grimaldi said DFDS “unjustifiably” blames these delays on Grimaldi vessels. In a statement dated 26 August, Grimaldi said “more competition is an opportunity for Italy and Europe” and claimed credit for “having interrupted the monopoly that existed between the Port of Trieste and the /Marmara commercial area.” The company added that its ECO-class vessels “halve fuel consumption per transported unit.”
The company rejected suggestions reported in the Italian trade press on 22 August that the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and the Eastern Adriatic Sea Port Authority instructed DFDS and Ulusoy to reduce use of the PLT terminal.
DFDS has not issued a response to Grimaldi’s accusations. In its Q2 2025 interim report of 20 August, the group reduced its full-year EBIT guidance to DKK 0.8–1.0 billion from approximately DKK 1.0 billion, citing lower-than-expected Mediterranean earnings and a “changed competitive environment” on Türkiye–Italy routes after a new competitor entered in September 2024.
DFDS reported Q2 revenue of DKK 7.81 billion, up 3% year on year, but EBIT fell 69% to DKK 163 million. EBIT in the Ferry Division declined to DKK 186 million, down 63% year on year.
Data from the Port of Trieste show that ro-ro traffic was broadly stable in the first half of 2025, with 477 calls, an increase of 5.28%, in line with Grimaldi’s assessment that the market grew by only around 5% despite the deployment of additional vessels.
Grimaldi Group S.p.A. is a privately held Italian shipping company headquartered in Naples. It operates a global network of ro-ro, car carrier and passenger services and controls a fleet of ECO-class vessels designed for reduced fuel consumption and port emissions.
DFDS A/S is a publicly listed Danish shipping and logistics company headquartered in Copenhagen. It operates ferry and logistics networks across Europe and has expanded its presence in the Mediterranean through acquisitions, including U.N. Ro-Ro in 2018 and Ekol Logistics’ international transport network in 2024.
