DFDS recorded a record month for freight on its Dover to France routes in March, carrying more than 110,000 vehicles for the first time.

The company reached the milestone following the introduction of two new ships, the Cotes des Dunes and the Cotes des Flandres, on its Dover-Calais service to provide 15 daily departures each way on the route.

DFDS also offers 12 daily departures each way on its Dover-Dunkirk service.

The growth in volumes for the company comes as it launches a new online booking service for freight customers, making it possible for operators to book shipments directly with DFDS via its website.

The new booking service can be used on a variety of devices including desktop computers, tablets and smartphones and offers the option to search schedules, track shipments and view real-time departure and arrival information.

Customers can access the new online booking service.

However, this is not available for operators booking special loads such as wind turbines, over-sized shipments or other special cargo, which will continue to be booked via a dedicated specialist customer service team.

Wayne Bullen, freight sales director for DFDS on the Channel, said: “We’re delighted to achieve this major milestone, growing our freight business on our routes to France and surpassing the 110,000 vehicle mark for the month.

“We’ll continue working to provide a superior customer experience and our new online booking service is just one example of how we’re working to make the whole booking and travel experience easier for our customers.”