On 1 February 2020 Stena Line opened a new ferry route between Halmstad and Grenaa. After a challenging first year with COVID-19 Stena Line concludes it was the right decision. Freight volumes increased by 15 %, exceeded expectations on the new route.
About a year ago, on 1 February 2020, Stena Line celebrated the opening of the new ferry route between Halmstad in Sweden and Grenaa in Denmark with inaugural celebrations on both sides, with thousands of people visiting.
The geographical position
After a challenging first year with the pandemic affecting passenger volumes negatively, Stena Line has focused on keeping the vital supply lines between the two countries open. In total, freight volumes on the route increased by 15 % during 2020, compared to the year before on the former route between Varberg and Grenaa.
“Halmstad was the right move and the freight volumes have exceeded our expectations, both from the Swedish and Danish side. In total, we have seen an increase of 15 %. Our customers really appreciate the geographical position of Halmstad as well as the efficiency of travelling on the motorways of the sea instead of driving” says Elisabeth Lönne, Trade Director Business Region Denmark at Stena Line.
During the pandemic Stena Line continued to operate the route with 22 weekly departures and the vessel Stena Nautica crossed Kattegatt more than 1,100 times in the first year, carrying close to 700 kilometers of freight.