DFDS is adding 27 new Volvo FH Globetrotter 6x2 tractors to its UK fleet. The international shipping and logistics specialist is taking 12 FH 460s for its freight operations at the Port of Immingham, and 15 FH 500s to be based at its depots in Larkhall and Aberdeen. These will haul temperature-controlled trailers carrying seafood to major UK fish markets, and for export via Heathrow airport and direct to Europe.
The Volvos replaced a mix of brands, with Anthony Patterson, fleet manager at DFDS, saying “We are a major supplier of logistics services to Volvo Group, and heavily involved in what goes into and comes out of the factories in both Gothenburg and Ghent. That puts us in a unique position where we get to deliver our own trucks from the factory to the UK, but one where Volvo also secured the order entirely on merit.
“We couldn’t afford for anything less; we work our trucks intensely, 24/7, and product quality and reliability are paramount. We also get excellent driver feedback on the FHs, plus the service from the Volvo Trucks dealer network is consistently strong. It doesn’t matter where one of our trucks is, we get really well looked after.”
The trucks come with Volvo’s I-See predictive cruise control as well as three-year subscriptions to Volvo Connect giving access to a range of digital and connected services via a dedicated portal. “Volvo Connect puts a lot of powerful information at our fingertips, from vehicle tracking to fuel and safety reporting. Plus, simple things like being able to download tachograph data remotely saves a lot of time and hassle,” says Patterson.
The FHs PDIs were carried out by Crossroads Truck and Bus at Stallingborough, near Immingham, and come supported by three-year Volvo Gold Contract, which includes use of on-board telematics to ensure trucks are only called in for maintenance when they need it.
