Lion Ferry
 |
 | |
| Founded | 1959 |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Fate | Rebranded as Stena Line |
| Headquarters | Halmstad, Sweden |
Area served | Kattegat |
| Services | Passenger transportation Freight transportation |
| Parent | 1959 - 1985: Bonnier Group[1] 1985 - 1998: Stena Line |
Lion Ferry was a Swedish ferry company which operated passenger and freight ferry services in Scandinavia and North America.
History
[edit]In 1960 The Prins Bertil enters service between Halmstad and Aarhus. Lion Ferry acquired Norwegian ferry operator Europafergen in 1965. It commenced the Portland - Yarmouth route operated by the Prince of Fundy in 1970 and closed in 1976. In 1973 it started a joint venture with Irish Shipping to form Irish Continental Line. Lion Ferry AB acquired by Stena Line in 1985. Lion Ferry commences Karlskrona - Gdynia route in 1995.
In 1997 Lion Ferry services were rebranded as Stena Line.
Routes
[edit]Lion Ferry operated various routes during its 39 years in operation.
- Halmstad - Aarhus
- Halmstad - Grenå
- Varberg - Grenå
- Karlskrona - Gdynia
- Portland - Yarmouth
- Bremerhaven - Harwich (Marketed as Prinzen Line)
Fleet
[edit]Lion Ferry operated many vessels during its time in operation.
| Name | Built | In service | Tonnage | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Prins Bertil | 1960 | 1960 - 1964 | 2355 GRT | Chartered 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, 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 | 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 | Currently operating in the Adriatic as the Seatrade |
| MS Europafärjan III | 1974 | 1974 - 1983 | 4,774 GRT | Currently operating for Corsica Ferries as the Corsica Serena Seconda |
| MS Europafärjan MS Europafärjan II MS Lion Princess |
1971 | 1983 - 1985 1985 - 1987 1987 - 1994 |
8,772 GRT | Currently operating for Color Line as Bohus |
| MS Lion Queen | 1967 | 1988 - 1989 1994 - 1997 |
14,193 GRT | Scrapped in Alang in 2021[2] |
| MS Europafärjan I MS Lion Prince |
1969 | 1985 - 1987 1987 - 1997 |
5,679 GRT | |
| MS Lion King MS Lion King II |
1986 | 1995 - 1996 1996 |
11,763 GRT | Still in service 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 | In service with Stena Line as Stena Europe |