Ferry News Archive
Fjord Line in threat to quit Kristiansand in service row
Date: 21 Oct 2008 00:00 Source: Lloyds ListNorwegian ferry operator Fjord Line is threatening to pull out of the Port of Kristiansand in row about all-year operations, writes Craig Eason.
The port is demanding that all ferry operators maintain a service throughout the year to provide competitive freight services, as well as the profitable summer passenger and tourist service. The ferry operator, which competes with Color Lines’ two Superspeed vessels, says it cannot.
Port manager Stein Haartvedt defended the harbour’s policy. “This is a principle we have had for several decades. We also own the ferry terminal ourselves because we want to have competition, and our main goal is to have full control so we can secure fair competition all year round from each ferry company,” he said, adding that Fjord Line was aware of this.
Fjord Line operates two vessels from Norway to Denmark. A full-year service, with the 1993-built Bergensfjord, runs from Bergen and Stavanger to Denmark. The company also runs a high-speed catamaran, HSC Fjord Cat, during the summer from Kristiansand. Chief executive Invald Fardal told Lloyd’s List that HSC Fjord Cat is too small to handle the average wave height across the Skagerrak in the winter season, and that with reduced demand it cannot compete with Color Lines’ two new vessels, and thus operates for only five months of the year.
Fjord Line has been on the route for three years, but came under new ownership in January 2008. “We tested the market out between January and March this year with Bergensfjord, and the results were not very good,” Mr Fardal said. He added that the company is now looking at other ports in the region from which to operate HSC Fjord Cat.
Mr Haartvedt denied there was any favouritism towards Color Line. He said that the link between Kristiansand and Denmark is an important one for local freight. “We have been very strict that we want competition all year round as we are an important port for the south of Norway when it comes to cargo in and out of the region,” he said.
Fjord Line’s board was due to meet yesterday to discuss the situation.
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