A CROSS-CHANNEL ferry service between Newhaven and Dieppe will continue to operate for another year.

The service had been under threat because a contract between operator DFDS Seaways and cross-Channel authorities was due to expire at the end of the year.

However the operator has announced an agreement with Syndicat Mixte de Promotion de L’Activité Transmanche (SMPAT) has been made to extend the service for another 12 months.

Carsten Jensen, head of DFDS Seaways in the UK, said: "The one-year extension of our agreement with SMPAT is great news for DFDS Seaways, our employees, partners and especially our customers.

“It is also a great endorsement of the quality of the operations and service that we have been providing on this route from SMPAT. We are looking forward to providing an even better and more efficient service in 2015."

As part of the agreement, new sailing schedules will be introduced during peak periods in a bid to deal with growing tourism and economic demands.

DFDS Seaways said the new contract would also safeguard jobs for crew members and shore-side staff.

The news has been welcomed by MP for Lewes Norman Baker, who said: “I have long been involved with ongoing discussions to look at ways to ensure the future of the ferry service between Newhaven and Dieppe, so I am pleased to see a reprieve for one year and I will now continue to engage with authorities to keep this for the future.

“I also welcome the news that they will use this year to look at new rotations of the service in high season, due to growing usage of the ferry link.

“Although this is a small win to maintain the service I shall continue to support Newhaven to have a longer committed delivery of this link.”

DFDS Seaways said the ships would also be adapted to use cleaner fuels as part of the new contract.