“Our route is critical infrastructure in Denmark, and we will constantly work to get as many cheap tickets on the market as possible. Like everyone else, we are affected by the increased costs, but we have to make up for that loss by getting more passengers and cars on the ferries”, asserts Jesper Skovgaard, MD Molslinjen.
Molslinjen will have an extra fast ferry on the Kattegat in 2023.
Molslinjen’s owners in Sweden, EQT Infrastructure, bring Molslinjen’s Carsten Jensen to a position as CEO of the newly established company Nordic Ferry Infrastructure based in Oslo.
The company is a holding company which in future owns both the Danish ferry company Molslinjen and the Norwegian ferry company Torghatten.
Carsten Jensen takes over immediately as CEO of Nordic Ferry Infrastructure. However, during a transition period he will still be responsible for the Molslinjen until a new CEO is in place.
With the support of EQT Infrastructure, Molslinjen A/S has entered into a final agreement to acquire ForSea from Igneo Infrastructure Partners.
ForSea is the sole operator of ferries between Helsingør, Denmark and Helsingborg, Sweden, providing ferry services via a single ferry route strategically located at the nearest point between the two countries (approx. 4 km).
As a true “floating bridge”, the ForSea ferries are an integral part of the Nordic transport infrastructure network and carry six million passengers, one million passenger cars and 450,000 trucks across the Öresund every year.
The company operates 5 ferries across the route, 2 of which are electric and a third is scheduled for electric operation – setting a clear path to full decarbonisation of the fleet within this decade.
Molslinjen was acquired by EQT Infrastructure in 2021.
The transaction is subject to approval by the Swedish and Danish competition authorities and is expected to be completed in early 2023. The parties have agreed not to disclose the selling price.
The Danish Ministry of Transport has announced that Molslinjen, after two tenders, will be awarded the next ten years for the ferry routes Alslinjen (Bøjden — Fynshav) and Samsølinjen (Kalundborg — Ballen)
Both routes will in future be operated by electric ferries powered by green electricity. The two ships will set completely new standards for electric ferries in Denmark.
NIB has signed a 7-year loan agreement with a EQT owned company to finance capital expenditures relating to electric ferries operated by Molslinjen A/S in Denmark and Torghatten AS in Norway.
The EUR 84.71 million loan, which is fully eligible to be funded by NIB Environmental Bond proceeds, will be key in realising EQT Infrastructure’s ferry capital expenditure programme during 2021-2026.
EQT Infrastructure is combining the two leading ferry companies, Molslinjen and Torghatten, under one common holding vehicle to establish a pan-Nordic floating bridge and island-to-mainland transportation infrastructure champion. The combined entity will become the leading maritime transportation company located in one of the most attractive and creditworthy regions, with a strong and resilient financial profile underpinned by robust cash flow visibility and a highly diversified route and contract portfolio.
Norway’s investment bank ‘DNB Markets’ said in a LinkedIn post that it acted as Debt Advisor in the NOK 14.3 billion Sustainability-Linked Joint Refinancing of Torghatten and Molslinjen on behalf of EQT Infrastructure.
EQT Infrastructure is combining the two leading ferry companies, Molslinjen and Torghatten, under one common holding vehicle to establish a pan-Nordic “floating bridge” and “island-to-mainland” transportation infrastructure champion.
“The combined entity will become the leading maritime transportation company located in one of the most attractive and creditworthy regions, with a strong and resilient financial profile underpinned by robust cash flow visibility and a highly diversified route and contract portfolio,” says DNB Markets.
The Kattegat’s three fast ferries have been busy like never before in the autumn holidays.
A new record has been set.
Molslinjen’s brand new electric ferry GROTTE was put into operation on October 1st on the route between Esbjerg and Fanø. ‘
GROTTE was design by OSK Group and built at Hvide Sande Shipyard.
It was built according to exactly the same design as the two current ferries, FENJA and MENJA, which for many years have shown their efficiency in the short Danish domestic route between Esbjerg and Nordby on the island of Fanø.
The ferries FENJA and MENJA have just switched to fossil-free biofuel. The three ferries together will reduce emissions by up to 96 percent.