Fjord Line

{{Short description|Norwegian ferry operator}} {{Infobox company | name = Fjord Line | logo = Fjordline logo.svg | logo_caption = | caption = | type = Ferry company | genre = | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = 1993 | founder = | defunct = | location_city = | location_country = | location = Egersund, Norway | locations = | area_served = Norway, Denmark | key_people =  | industry = | products = | services = Passenger transportation, Freight transportation | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = 245 (2010) | parent = Bergen Nordhordland Rutelag | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{url|fjordline.com}} | footnotes = }}

'''Fjord Line''' is a Norwegian ferry operator offering services between Norway and Denmark. In addition to passenger transport, Fjord Line also operates cargo transport through its cargo division in both Norway and Denmark.

==History== Fjord Line was founded in 1993. In 1998 the company purchased the MS ''Jupiter'' and the Bergen - Newcastle route from Color Line.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/wellamo_1975.htm |title=M/S Wellamo (1975) |website=www.faktaomfartyg.nu |access-date=27 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730004725/http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/wellamo_1975.htm |archive-date=30 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2004 a much larger ship, the MS ''Fjord Norway'' was purchased to operate the Norway - Denmark service. The MS ''Bergen'' was chartered to DFDS.{{citation needed|date=December 2025}}

Following heavy competition on the Norway - Denmark route, in 2005 Fjord Line began streamlining operations. On return of the MS ''Bergen'' from charter, the MS ''Fjord Norway'' and the Norway - UK route were sold to DFDS. The MS ''Jupiter'' was laid up for sale. Paroms between Oslo and Newcastle, operated by Fjord Line, also ceased operations in 2006. The company was among those that tried to maintain the UK–Scandinavia route.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ferrygogo.co.uk/historic-ferry-crossings-from-the-uk-to-scandinavia/|title=Historic ferry crossings from the UK to Scandinavia|date=8 January 2024|website=ferrygogo.co.uk|first=J.W.|last=van Tilburg|access-date=31 December 2025}}</ref>

On 1 January 2008 Fjord Line merged with fast ferry operator Master Ferries.

The MS ''Stavangerfjord'' was awarded for Best Ship Design at the 2014 Shippax Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skipsrevyen.no/article/fjord-line-hedret-med-the-shippax-awards/|title=Fjord Line hedret med "The Shippax Awards" - Skipsrevyen.no|last=Skipsrevyen|date=2014-04-10|website=www.skipsrevyen.no|language=nb|access-date=2019-06-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shippax.com/en/shippax-awards/shippax-award-2014.aspx|title=Shippax Award 2014|website=Shippax|language=en|access-date=2019-06-20}}</ref>

In 2014 Fjord Line became the world's first ferry operator to use contactless radio frequency identification (RFID) smart cards for cabin locks. This solution was provided by Carus Ferry Ltd Ab.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shippax.com/en/members/search-articles.aspx?do=view&articleid=14366|title = Article Search}}</ref>

In October 2020 the company announced a scale-back of operations whereby the ferry operations will only serve the ports of Kristiansand, Hirtshals, and Stavanger.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/zgGBR9/fjord-line-stanser-danskebaatene-fra-bergen?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vg.no|title=Fjord Line stanser danskebåtene fra Bergen}}</ref>

The Sandefjord - Strömstad route: Service [ended] on the 29th of October 2023)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bjerkholdt |first=Bettina Olie |date=2023-09-20 |title=Fjord Line avvikler ruten mellom Sandefjord og Strømstad |url=https://www.nrk.no/vestfoldogtelemark/fjord-line-avvikler-ruten-mellom-sandefjord-og-stromstad-1.16564608 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=NRK |language=nb-NO}}</ref>

==Routes== Fjord Line operates routes between Norway and Denmark. *Bergen - Hirtshals (as of summer of 2025)<ref>https://www.nrk.no/sorlandet/krever-skjerpet-kontroll-etter-nrk-avsloring-1.17420235. NRK.no. Retrieved 2025-05-19</ref>

*Kristiansand - Hirtshals (Summer only) (Concurrency with Color Line) *Stavanger - Bergen

==Fleet== ===Current fleet=== Fjord Line currently operates three vessels.

{| class="wikitable" |- ! scope="col" width="100"| Name ! scope="col" width="75"| Built ! scope="col" width="75"| Entered service ! scope="col" width="75"| Tonnage ! scope="col" width="300"| Note |- |- | ''Stavangerfjord'' || align="Center" | 2013 || align="Center" | 2013 || align="Center" | 31,678 GT || Exclusively powered by Liquified Natural Gas. |- | ''Bergensfjord'' || align="Center" | 2014 || align="Center" | 2014<ref>{{cite web|title=Fjord Line Takes Over MS 'Bergensfjord' (Norway)|date=4 February 2014|url=http://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/103576/fjord-line-takes-over-ms-bergensfjord-norway/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222023403/http://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/103576/fjord-line-takes-over-ms-bergensfjord-norway/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=February 22, 2014|publisher=World Maritime News|accessdate=4 February 2014}}</ref> || align="Center" | 31,678 GT || From January 2014. Sister of ''Stavangerfjord''. |- | ''Fjord FSTR'' || align="Center | 2020/2021 || align="Center" | March 2021 || align="Center" | 11,888 GT || A new ship for the Kristiansand - Hirtshals route. Previously used by Fjord Cat. |- |}

===Past fleet=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! scope="col" width="100"| Name ! scope="col" width="75"| Built ! scope="col" width="75"| In service ! scope="col" width="75"| Tonnage ! scope="col" width="300"| Fate |- | ''Lygra'' || align="Center" | 1979 || align="Center" | 1997–2006 || align="Center" | 7,012 GT || Operates between USA and Caribbean |- | ''Fjord Norway'' || align="Center" | 1986 || align="Center" | 2003–2006 || align="Center" | 31,356 GT || Sold to DFDS as ''Princess of Norway'' |- | ''Jupiter'' || align="Center" | 1975 || align="Center" | 1998–2005 || align="Center" | 12,348 GT || Operates as a cruise ship in Vietnam, It sank November 2017 |- | ''Fjord Cat'' || align="Center" | 1998 || align="Center" | 2008–2020 || align="Center" | 5,619 GT || |- |''Oslofjord'' || align="Center | 1993/2014 || align="Center" | 1993/2014 || align="Center" | 16,551 GT || Formerly ran the Hirtshals/Bergen/Stavanger service and was converted into a day ferry in 2014 and renamed Oslofjord. |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.fjordline.com Fjordline web site]

Category:Ferry companies of Norway