Established in 2000, FRS Iberia/Maroc is today the only ferry company operating all ports in the Strait of Gibraltar. It is currently operating five fast ferries, two conventional ferries and one RoRo ferry.

FRS Iberia/Maroc's business volume has been extraordinarily successful over two decades despite strong competition. With the growing Moroccan economy and the strengthening of the joint market between the two countries, FRS Iberia/Maroc's annual transports have seen an increase. In the year 2023, 1.9 million passengers and 370,000 vehicles are expected. The company is one of the market leaders in ferry traffic between Spain and Morocco, with extensive experience in the operation of fast ferries and cargo traffic.

Earlier this year, the Flensburg-based family-owned company decided to team up with an equally strong partner to further support the growth of this brand. The Danish ferry company DFDS, based in Copenhagen, has proven to be a solid partner that has been active mainly in ferry traffic in Northern Europe, but also recently in the Mediterranean region. Like FRS, DFDS (Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab) is a ferry company with a long tradition, whose origins date back to 1866.

During negotiations, the complete sale of FRS Iberia/Maroc was presented as the most logical step for both companies. Consequently, FRS is transferring its subsidiary to the prestigious DFDS. The leading Danish company will continue to operate the ferry service in the Strait of Gibraltar together with experienced local employees, thus maintaining the well-known high-quality standards.

Götz Becker, CEO of FRS Flensburg, built up the Spanish subsidiary in 2001 and lived with his family in Tarifa for four years. "We are closely linked to our employees, our friends and our ships in Morocco and Spain," says Becker. “And we are pleased to have found DFDS who will continue to operate the company in a proven method. The 750 employees of FRS Iberia/Maroc will remain with DFDS.”

Ronny Moriana Glindemann, Managing Director of FRS Iberia/Maroc, stressed how this integration represents an excellent platform for further development of passenger and cargo services.

DFDS, a leader in the ferry and logistics sector, has an impressive fleet of more than 75 modern vessels and an exceptional infrastructure of ferry connections in more than 20 countries. With a large team of 12,300 employees and an annual turnover of 3.6 billion euros, DFDS is ideally placed to support FRS Iberia/Maroc in its quest for further growth.

Ronny Moriana Glindemann underlined the enthusiasm of the entire FRS Iberia/Maroc management team who are working with great energy on a seamless integration: "The future presents exciting opportunities to take services and customer experience to a new level".

The transaction is subject to the approval of the relevant Spanish and Moroccan competition authorities. The parties have agreed to keep the purchase price secret.