{{Short description|Swedish ferry company}} {{Infobox company | name = Lion Ferry Ab | logo = Lion ferry logo.png | image_caption = | type = | genre = | fate = Rebranded as Stena Line | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = 1959 | founder = | defunct = 1998 | location_city = | location_country = | location = Halmstad, Sweden | locations = | area_served = Kattegat | key_people = | industry = | products = | services = Passenger transportation<br />Freight transportation | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = 1959–1985: Bonnier Group<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.kommandobryggan.se/Bryggan/lion.htm |title = Lion Ferry}}</ref><br />1985–1998: Stena Line | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = | footnotes = | intl = }} thumb|''Lion Prince'', a ferry of Lion Ferry in Sweden '''Lion Ferry''' was a Swedish ferry company which operated passenger and freight ferry services in Scandinavia and North America.
==History== In 1960 The ''Prins Bertil'' entered service between Halmstad in Sweden and the Danish port of Aarhus. The company acquired Norwegian ferry operator Europafergen in 1965.
Between 1970 and 1976 Lion operated a route between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia using the ''Prince of Fundy''. In 1973 it started a joint venture with Irish Shipping to form Irish Continental Line and in 1985 was acquired by Stena Line
In 1995 the company began to operate between Karlskrona in Sweden and Gdynia in Poland route in 1995. In 1997 Lion Ferry services were rebranded as Stena Line.
==Routes== Lion Ferry operated various routes during its 39 years in operation. * Halmstad – Aarhus * Halmstad – Grenå * Varberg – Grenå * Karlskrona – Gdynia * Portland, Maine – Yarmouth, Nova Scotia * Bremerhaven – Harwich (marketed as Prinzen Line)
==Fleet== Lion Ferry operated many vessels during its time in operation.
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Name ! Built ! In service with Lion ! Tonnage ! Notes |- | MS ''Prins Bertil'' || 1960 || 1960–1964 || 2,355 GRT || Chartered in 1964 to Red AB Nordö as M/S Calmar Nyckel. Sold 1965 to Red AB Nordö. |- | MS ''Prins Bertil'' || 1964 || 1964–1966 || 3,625 GRT || Sold to Canadian National in 1966 and renamed ''Leif Eirikson''. |- | MS ''Varberg'' || 1940 || 1964–1966 || 1,217 GRT || |- | MS ''Europafergen'' || 1960 || 1965–1978 || 2,209 GRT || |- | MS ''Gustav Vasa'' || 1965 || 1965–1971 || 3,801 GRT || Broken up in 2004. |- | MS ''Kronprins Carl Gustaf'' || 1966 || 1966–1971 || 3,801 GRT || |- | MS ''Prins Hamlet'' || 1966 || 1966–1969 || 8,687 GRT || Broken up in 2002. |- | MS ''Europafärjan II'' || 1964 || 1970–1976 || 2,498 GRT || |- | MS ''Prins Oberon'' || 1970 || 1970–1978 || 7,993 GRT || Has since operated as casino ship ''Ambassador II'' in Florida. |- | MS ''Prince of Fundy'' || 1970 || 1970–1978 || 5,464 GRT || Broken up in 2005. |- | MS ''Gustav Vasa'' || 1973 || 1973–1983 || 7,457 GRT || Converted to book ship ''Logos Hope'' |- | MS ''Svealand'' || 1973 || 1973–1982 || 5,159 GRT || Has since operated in the Adriatic Sea as the ''Seatrade'' |- | MS ''Europafärjan III'' || 1974 || 1974–1983 || 4,774 GRT || Has since been operated by Corsica Ferries as the ''Corsica Serena Seconda'' |- | MS ''Europafärjan''<br />MS ''Europafärjan II''<br />MS ''Lion Princess'' || 1971 || 1983–1985<br />1985–1987<br />1987–1994 || 8,772 GRT || Has since operated for Color Line as ''Bohus'' |- | MS ''Lion Queen'' || 1967 || 1988–1989<br />1994–1997 || 14,193 GRT || Scrapped in Alang in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web | title=New Century Tours Corporation Pte Ltd | url=http://www.nctoursonline.com/cruise/cruises-amusementworld2.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309130124/http://www.nctoursonline.com/cruise/cruises-amusementworld2.htm | access-date=2025-09-07 | archive-date=2007-03-09 | url-status=live }}</ref> |- | MS ''Europafärjan I''<br />MS ''Lion Prince'' || 1969 || 1985–1987<br />1987–1997 || 5,679 GRT || |- | MS ''Lion King''<br />MS ''Lion King II'' || 1986 || 1995–1996<br />1996 || 11,763 GRT || Has since served on the Varberg – Grenå route as the ''Stena Nautica'' |- | MS ''Lion King'' || 1979 || 1996–1997 || 10,604 GRT || |- | MS ''Lion Europe'' || 1981 || 1997 || 14,378 GRT || Has since served with Stena Line as ''Stena Europe'' |}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Ferry companies of Sweden Category:Defunct companies of Sweden Category:20th century in Halland County Category:Halmstad