Color Line (ferry operator)
{{Short description|Norwegian ferry operator}}
{{About|the ferry operator|the civil rights issue|Color line (racism)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Color Line AS
| logo = Color Line logo
| type =
| genre =
| fate =
| predecessor = Jahre Line and Norway Line
| foundation = 1990
| locations =
| area_served = Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden
| key_people = Morten Garman, Chairman
Olav Nils Sunde, President
| services = Passenger transportation
Freight transportation
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| aum =
| assets =
| equity =
| owner =
| num_employees =
| parent = Color Group
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = [http://www.colorline.no www.colorline.no]
| footnotes =
| intl =
}}
Color Line AS is a Norwegian shipping company that is the largest cruiseferry line operating on routes to and from Norway. The company is also one of the leading operators in Europe. Color Line provides transportation for people and cargo, hotel accommodation, shopping, restaurants and entertainment. The company currently employs 3500 people in four countries.
Color Line's main office is in Oslo, but the company also has Norwegian offices in Kristiansand, Sandefjord and Larvik, in addition to international offices in Kiel, Hirtshals and Strömstad.
History
File:MS Color Fantasy outbound at Horten.jpg
File:ColorMagic Ankunft2 Kiel2007.jpg
File:SuperSpeed 1 (3).jpg – Hirtshals]]
File:Color Line i Hirtshals, 2012 ubt.JPG]]
Color Line has roots in the ferry business that go back more than 100 years. The company was established in 1990 when two Norwegian shipping companies, Jahre Line and Norway Line merged.{{cite web |url=http://www.colorline.com/servlets/page?section=4015&item=11542 |title=Color Line's history |accessdate=2008-04-22 |publisher=Color Line |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630223218/http://www.colorline.com/servlets/page?section=4015&item=11542 |archive-date=30 June 2007 |url-status=dead }} Jahre Line had operated ferries between Oslo and Kiel since 1961,{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/jahre_line.htm |title=Jahre Line |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729212601/http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/jahre_line.htm |archive-date=29 July 2012 |url-status=dead }} while Norway Line had operated ferries between Bergen and Newcastle since 1986.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/norway_line.htm |title=Norway Line |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }} During 1990 Color Line also took over the Fred. Olsen Lines cruiseferry operations, thereby expanding the traffic area of the new company to Norway–Denmark routes.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/olau_britannia_1982.htm |title=M/S Olau Britannia (1982) |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}
During the first half of the 1990s Color Line expanded its tonnage by lengthening its existing ships or by acquisition of larger second-hand ships.{{cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ColorLine.html |title=Color Line |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }} The company began operating fast ferries between Norway and Denmark during the summer of 1996. Initially the operations were in collaboration with SeaContainers, but were run without them from 1997 onwards.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/hoverspeed_belgium_1991.htm |title=HSC Hoverspeed Belgium (1991) |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/hoverspeed_france_1991.htm |title=HSC Hoverspeed France (1991) |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }} In October of the same year Color Line took over the operations of Larvik Line, its competitor in the Norway—Denmark traffic.{{cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/LarvikLine.html |title=Larvik Line |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }} In September 1998 Color Line acquired both the Color Hotel Skagen and Scandi Line, which operated two ferries on the short routes connecting Norway and Sweden.{{cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ScandiLine.html |title=Scandi Line |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |work=Simplon Postcards }} In the end of 1998 the Norway–United Kingdom operations were sold to Fjord Line.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/wellamo_1975.htm |title=M/S Wellamo (1975) |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }} For the 1999 summer season the (former) Scandi Line ships received new Color Scandi Line liveries. They were fully incorporated into the Color Line fleet in 2001.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/scandi_line.htm |title=Scandi Line |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802175157/http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/scandi_line.htm |archive-date=2 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}
During the 2000s Color Line begun investing heavily in new tonnage, with {{MS|Color Fantasy}}, {{MS|Color Magic}}, {{MS|Superspeed 1}} and {{MS|Superspeed 2}} supplanting much of the older tonnage between 2004 and 2008.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/color_line.htm |title=Color Line |accessdate=2008-04-22 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526073527/http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/color_line.htm |archive-date=26 May 2012 |url-status=dead }} In April 2008 the company announced the closure of the Oslo—Hirtshals service from 6 May 2008 onwards.{{cite web|url=http://www.colorline.com/servlets/page?section=4015&item=27183 |title=Color Line to focus on its engagement in cruise and transport |accessdate=2008-04-22 |work=Color Line press release |publisher=Color Line |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704155303/http://www.colorline.com/servlets/page?section=4015 |archivedate=4 July 2007 }}
In January 2017, Color Line announced that it had signed a letter of intent with the Ulstein Verft shipyard to build a new ferry with a hybrid drivetrain for the Sandefjord–Strömstad route, with delivery expected in 2019.{{cite web | url=http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=24897:video-color-line-signs-loi-for-worlds-largest-plug-in-hybrid | title=VIDEO: Color Line inks LOI for large plug-in hybrid | publisher=Marine Log | date=25 January 2017 | accessdate=26 January 2017}} The keel was laid in April 2018 in Poland and the ship was launched in November 2018.https://www.facebook.com/colorline/videos/264270337496497/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}
In November 2022, Color Line announced that Color Carrier and Color Viking will end operations.https://www.colorline.no/om-oss/pressesenter/color-line-effektiviserer-deler-av-den-operative-driften {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}https://anbord.de/color-line-mustert-faehren-aus/ {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}
Ships and routes
| class="wikitable"
! Ship | Built | Entered service | Route | Tonnage1 | Flag | Notes |
| MS Color Fantasy | align="Center" | 2004 | align="Center" | 2004 | Oslo–Kiel | align="Right" | {{GT|75027}} | {{flag|Norway}} | |
| MS Color Magic | align="Center" | 2007 | align="Center" | 2007 | Oslo–Kiel | align="Right" | {{GT|75100}} | {{flag|Norway}} | Largest cruiseferry in the world. |
| MS Superspeed 1 | align="Center" | 2008 | align="Center" | 2008 | Kristiansand–Hirtshals | align="Right" | {{GT|33500}} | {{flag|Norway}} | |
| MS Superspeed 2 | align="Center" | 2008 | align="Center" | 2008 | Larvik–Hirtshals | align="Right" | {{GT|33500}} | {{flag|Norway}} | |
| MS Color Hybrid | align="center" | 2019 | align="center" | 2019 | Sandefjord–Strömstad | {{GT|27000}} | {{flag|Norway}} |
= Former ships =
| class="wikitable"
! Ship | Built | Years in service | Tonnage1 | Status as of 2020 |
| MS Color Viking | 1985 | 2000–2022 | align="Center" | {{GT|19763}} | Sold to Seajets in 2022 and renamed SuperStar II in 2023. |
| MS Kronprins Harald | 1987 | 1991–2007 | align="Center" | {{GT|31122}} | From 2019 GNV Allegra for Grandi Navi Veloci. |
| MS Prinsesse Ragnhild | 1980 | 1991–2008 | align="Center" | {{GRT|16,631}} {{GT|35,483}} | From 2008 Bahamas Celebration. Sold for scrap, Alang India, 2015. |
| {{MS|Jupiter|1990|6}} | 1973 | 1991–1999 | align="Center" | {{GRT|11344}} | Scrapped as Crown in 2008. |
| MS Skagen | 1975 | 1991–2005 | align="Center" | {{GRT|12333}} | Scrapped 2011, Alang India. |
| Venus | 1974 | 1991–1994 | align="Center" | {{GRT|8753}} | From 2002 Cesme for Turkish Marmara Lines. |
| MS Christian IV | 1982 | 1991–2008 | align="Center" | {{GT|21699}} | From 2018 Moby Zaza for Moby Lines. |
| MS Color Viking | 1975 | 1994–1998 | align="Center" | {{GRT|11344}} {{GT|20581}} | Sold to Royal Group Ltd, later lost. |
| MS Color Festival | 1985 | 1994–2008 | align="Center" | {{GT|34694}} | From 2008 Mega Smeralda for Corsica Ferries. |
| HSC SeaCat Danmark | 1991 | 1996 | align="Center" | {{GT|3003}} | Sold 2006 as HSC Pescara Jet for SNAV. |
| HSC SeaCat Norge | 1991 | 1996 | align="Center" | {{GT|3003}} | Sold 2007 as Snaefell for Isle of Man Steam Packet. |
| Octagon 3 | 1984 | 1996–1997 | align="Center" | {{GT|10243}} | From 2005 Fast Independence for Independence Shipping. |
| MS Peter Wessel | 1981 | 1996–2008 | align="Center" | {{GRT|14919}} {{GT|29706}} | From 2008 GNV Azzurra for Grandi Navi Veloci. |
| HSC Silvia Ana L | 1996 | 1997–2007 | align="Center" | {{GT|7895}} | From 2007 sailing for Buquebus. |
| Pegasus Two | 1997 | 1997–1998 | align="Center" | {{GT|3971}} | From 2007 HSC Queen Nefertiti for Arab Bridge Maritime. |
| Color Trader | 1977 | 1998 | align="Center" | {{GRT|8454}} | Scrapped 2004. |
| Feederman | 1972 | 1998 | align="Center" | {{GRT|3166}} | From 2003 Dorrah Jeddah for an unidentified Saudi Arabian company. |
| Sandefjord | 1965 | 1999–2000 | align="Center" | {{GRT|5678}} | Scrapped as Star N in 2023. |
| MS Bohus | 1971 | 1999–2019 | align="Center" | {{GT|9149}} | Sold in 2019 and operating as Ionian Star. |
| Landi | 1976 | 1999 | align="Center" | {{GRT|9079}} | From 2007 Ammari for Ustica Lines. |
| MS European Mariner | 1978 | 2002 | align="Center" | {{GRT|1598}} | Sold 2003 to P&O Ferries. |
| Gute | 1979 | 2003 | align="Center" | {{GRT|7616}} | From 2007 laid up in Visby, owned by Rederi AB Gotland. |
| Calibur | 1976 | 2003 | align="Center" | {{GRT|3642}} | From 2007 sailing for P&O Ferries. |
| Color Traveller | 1981 | 2004–2006 | align="Center" | {{GT|17046}} | From 2007 Rostock for Scandlines. |
| colspan="5" | 1May be specified in gross tonnage (GT) or gross register tons (GRT) if built before 1982. |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Norway|Companies|Transport}}
{{Commons category|Color Line}}
- [http://www.colorline.com/ Color Line official website]
{{Color Line ships}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Ferry companies of Agder