DIF Capital Partners (via its DIF Infrastructure VII fund), and EDF Invest (the investment arm of the EDF Group in real assets) have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fjord1 AS, the largest owner and operator of ferries in Norway.
The company will be acquired from Vision Ridge Partners, a global sustainable real assets investor, and Havila Holding, an investment company owned by the Sævik family in Norway.
Vision Ridge and Havila Holding have been investors in Fjord1 since 2019 and 2011, respectively. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Following the close of the transaction, which is expected in early 2024, Fjord1 will continue to be led by CEO Dagfinn Neteland, supported by his current team of over 1,000 employees.
Under Vision Ridge’s and Havila Holding’s ownership, the proportion of vessels within Fjord1’s fleet that operate on electricity has increased by over 50%. As a result, Fjord1’s operating fleet today is approximately 60% electric – the highest proportion in Norway – and comprises approximately half of all electric ferries currently operating in Norway, serving 44 routes across 16 contracts in the Norwegian market.
Photo: FRAM