Sweden's Stena to buy Norway's Color Line, bolstering Nordic ferry grip
What's the deal? Swedish industrial group Stena ABDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has agreed to acquire Norwegian ferry operator Color Line from Olav Nils Sunde and his family. Stena will buy all shares in Color Group AS through subsidiary Stena Rederi AB; the parties did not disclose the price. Completion is expected late in the first quarter or during the second quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approval.
What's the endgame? Stena plans to run Color Line as a separate business and brand, keeping local management in Norway and Norwegian-registered ships. The deal hands Stena control of Color Line's Norway–Denmark and Norway–Germany routes, building on its 2026 takeover of Finnish-Swedish operator WasalineDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
By the numbers: Color Line employs about 2,200 full-time staff and runs five ships on four international routes serving seven ports across Norway, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. In 2025, revenue topped US$809.9M, about $717m, and it carried nearly 3.6m passengers.
Why now? Color Line faces a tougher cost backdrop. First-half 2026 revenue rose, but EBITDA fell to US$18.5M from US$30.8M a year earlier, with EU emissions costs nearly doubling to US$16.9M. A larger owner could help absorb rising operating and decarbonisation costs.
What they're saying: Stena LineDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → chief executive Niclas Mårtensson called the deal "a true milestone in Stena Line's history." Color Line chief executive Trond Kleivdal said Stena wanted to preserve the brand's strengths "while giving us a stronger foundation for the company's further development."
What could go wrong? The transaction still needs regulatory review, which could stretch into mid-2027. Until then, both operators run separately, with no change to sailings, bookings, or customer relationships.
The signal: The deal reflects consolidation across Northern European ferry markets as operators seek scale to offset rising emissions and operating costs. Stena, which already runs 40 ships on 19 routes and posts revenue of US$6.27B, is steadily broadening its Nordic network — with Color Line's recognisable brand now folded in.
Read more: en.portnews.ru
Image credit: aussiejeff
