Scandlines is a ferry company that operates the RødbyPuttgarden and GedserRostock ferry routes between Denmark and Germany.

Scandlines
Company typePrivate
IndustryTransport
Founded1998
Headquarters,
Denmark
Number of locations
Two routes
Area served
Baltic Sea
ServicesFerries
477 million EUR (2018)
OwnerFirst Sentier Investors
Hermes Investment Management
3i
SubsidiariesScandlines Deutschland, Scandlines Danmark
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Scandlines owns 7 ferries, 6 of which are hybrid ferries, making Scandlines the owner of the world's largest fleet of hybrid ferries.[1]

In a normal year, Scandlines has over 41,500 departures, 7 million passengers, 1.7 million passenger cars and approx. 700,000 freight units on its two routes.

Scandlines has two subsidiaries, Scandlines Danmark ApS and Scandlines Deutschland GmbH, which operate in the two main countries.

Scandlines expects to continue operating on the Rødby–Puttgarden route despite the planned completion of the Fehmarn Belt tunnel in 2029.[2]

History edit

In 1903, the first railway ferry sailed between Gedser in Denmark and Warnemünde in Germany, where De Danske Statsbaner, DSB, operated the route from the Danish side in partnership with a state-owned German shipping company.

A second service, the 'bird's flight line' (die Vogelfluglinie in German) between Rødby and Puttgarden was added in 1963, creating a direct route between Copenhagen and Hamburg.

The company was separated from DSB in 1995, and transformed into an independent limited company called DSB Rederi, which was, in turn, rebranded Scandlines in 1997. (The Scandlines brand had already been in use since 1991 on the Helsingør–Helsingborg ferry route[3]) In 1998, the two shipping company partners, Danish Scandlines and German DFO, merged into the company Scandlines, owned by the Danish Ministry of Transport and Deutsche Bahn.

Scandlines was privatized in 2007, and sold to the British infrastructure fund 3i, the German investment company Allianz Capital and the shipping company Deutsche Seereederei.

Between 1999 and 2015, part of Scandlines' ferry routes were sold, including Aarhus-Kalundborg to Molslinjen, and Helsingør-Helsingborg to ForSea Ferries.

Today, Scandlines is owned by a consortium consisting of the three infrastructure funds, First Sentier Investors, 3i and Federated Hermes.[4]

The main focus is on the two routes Gedser-Rostock and Rødby-Puttgarden.

Management edit

The top management consists of CEO Carsten Nørland,[5] CFO Jesper Mikkelsen Heilbuth and COO Michael Guldmann Petersen.[4]

The German part of the organization also has two directors: Heiko Kähler and Gerald Lefold, who are responsible for the day-to-day management of Scandlines' German companies.

Crossings edit

 
Routes

Scandlines operates two ferry routes between Denmark and Germany.

RødbyPuttgarden

GedserRostock

Ferries edit

Scandlines has six hybrid ferries and one freight ferry. In 2022, two ferries had a rotor sail mounted.[6]


Scandlines' ferries on Rødby-Puttgarden:

Name Built Tonnage Passengers Notes Images
Prins Richard 1997 14.621 1140 Hybrid  
Prinsesse Benedicte 1997 14.621 1140 Hybrid  
Schleswig-Holstein 1997 15.187 1200 Hybrid  
Deutschland 1997 15.187 1200 Hybrid  

Scandlines' ferries on Gedser-Rostock:

Name Built Tonnage Passengers Notes Images
Berlin 2012 22.319 1.300 Hybrid and rotor sail  
Berlin before rotor sail
Copenhagen 2012 22.319 1.300 Hybrid and rotor sail  

Freight ferry

Name Built Tonnage Passengers Notes Images
Kronprins Frederik 1981 16.071 1400 Freight &
Replacement
 
Futura 2024 TBD 140 E-Ferry
Freight
[7][8]

In November 2021, it was announced that the company has ordered a battery-electric ferry for the Puttgarden-Rødby route from Cemre Shipyard. The new vessel is due to enter service in 2024 and will have two-deck loading alongside a freight capacity of 66 HGVs, or some 1200 lane metres.[9]

Harbours edit

Scandlines owns the harbours areas in Rødby, Gedser and Puttgarden and rents an area in the harbour of Rostock.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ "Case: Scandlines Hybrid Ferries". State of Green. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  2. ^ TV2east.dk. Rederi opruster i kamp om Femern - køber batterifærge for over en halv milliard. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  3. ^ Hauerslev.com. DSB Færgeåret 1991. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Management and investors". Scandlines. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Carsten Nørland Succeeds Søren Poulsgaard Jensen as Scandlines' CEO". Ferry Shipping News. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Norsepower Rotor Sail Installed on Scandlines Ferry". Baird Maritime. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Zero direct emission-freight ferry". Scandlines. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  8. ^ https://www.maritimedanmark.dk/ny-scandlines-fragtfaerge-sosat
  9. ^ "Scandlines orders zero-emission ferry for Puttgarden-Rødby route". Shippax SE. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Our ferries and harbours". Scandlines. Retrieved 13 January 2023.

External links edit