Concession to operate the Dieppe–Newhaven maritime route for freight and passengers

Summary

The procurement is a 60-month public service concession to operate the Dieppe–Newhaven maritime route for freight and passenger transport by RoPax vessels. The concession is due to start on 1 January 2028, and its stated estimated total value is EUR 271,000,000. The operator must plan at least 1,690 crossings, equivalent to 845 return journeys per year. The schedule varies by season: in the low season, from 1 October to 30 April, four crossings per day from Monday to Friday and six in total over the weekend; in the mid-season, from 1 May to 13 July and in September, six crossings per day; and in the high season, from 14 July to 31 August, six crossings per day from Monday to Friday and 16 over the weekend. The tender must also allow for variants required to optimise the basic schedule. At its own risk, the concessionaire will be responsible for the commercial, technical and operational operation of the route and both vessels, including crewing, upkeep, maintenance, investment and business development. A contract performance condition requires the vessel serving the route to fly the French flag and be registered in the first register. Applications must be submitted electronically in French by 6 November 2026 at 16:00. The procedure has two stages: candidates are first selected to submit offers, and the concessionaire is then chosen.