Color Line - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Color Line AS
Aksjeselskap
Aksjeselskap is the Norwegian term for a stock-based company. It is usually abbreviated AS or A/S, especially when used in company names. An AS is always a limited company, i.e. the owners cannot be held liable for any debt beyond the stock capital...

is the largest cruiseferry

Cruiseferry

A cruiseferry is a ship that combines the features of a cruise ship with a Ro-Pax ferry. Many passengers travel with the ships for the cruise experience, staying only a few hours at the destination port or not leaving the ship at all, while others use the ships as means of...

line operating on routes to and from Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. The company is also one of the leading operators in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

. Color Line provides transportation for people

People

People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:* as the plural of person or a group of people People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:*...

and cargo

Cargo

Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...

, hotel

Hotel

A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...

accommodation, shopping

Shopping

Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one....

, restaurants and entertainment

Entertainment

Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...

. The company currently employs 3500 people in four countries.

Color Line main office is in Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

, but the company also have offices in Bergen, Stavanger

Stavanger

Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...

, Kristiansand

Kristiansand

-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...

, Sandefjord

Sandefjord

is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838...

and Larvik

Larvik

is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2....

in addition to international offices in Kiel

Kiel

Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...

, Hirtshals

Hirtshals

Hirtshals is a town in Hjørring municipality in Region Nordjylland on the north coast of the island of Vendsyssel-Thy at the top of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark, Europe.-The town of Hirtshals:...

and Strömstad

Strömstad

Strömstad is a locality and the seat of Strömstad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 6,110 inhabitants in 2005.Strömstad is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city.- History :...

History

Color Line has roots in the ferry business that go back more than 100 years. The company was established in 1990 when two Norwegian

Norway

shipping companies, Jahre Line and Norway Line merged. Jahre Line had operated ferries between Oslo

Oslo

and Kiel

Kiel

since 1961, while Norway Line had operated ferries from Norway to the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

and the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

since 1986. During 1990 Color Line also took over the Fred. Olsen Lines cruiseferry

Cruiseferry

operations, thereby expanding the traffic are of the new company to Norway—Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

routes.

During the first half of the 1990s Color Line enlargened their tonnage by lengthening their existing ships and replacing older small ships by acquisition of larger second-hand ships. 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. In October of the same year Color Line took over the operations of Larvik Line, their competitor in the Norway—Denmark traffic. 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. In the end of 1998 the Norway—United Kingdom operations were sold to Fjord Line

Fjord Line

Fjord Line is a Norwegian ferry operator offering services between Norway and Denmark. In addition to passenger transport, Fjord line operates cargo transport through its cargo division in Norway and Denmark.-History:Fjord Line was founded in 1993...

. 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.

During the 2000s Color Line begun investing heavily in new tonnage, with , , and supplanting much of the older tonnage between 2004 and 2008. In April 2008 the company announced the closure of the Oslo

Oslo

—Hirtshals

Hirtshals

service from 6 May 2008 onwards.

Ships and routes

Ship	Built	Entered service for Color Line	Route	Tonnage¹	Notes
MS Bohus MS Bohus MS Bohus is a ferry owned by Color Line operating between Sandefjord and Strömstad. -External links:**...	1971	1999	Sandefjord Sandefjord is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. The municipality of Sandefjord was established on 1 January 1838... —Strömstad Strömstad Strömstad is a locality and the seat of Strömstad Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden with 6,110 inhabitants in 2005.Strömstad is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city.- History :...		ex-Prisessan Desireé, Europafärjan, Europafärjan II, Lion Princess
MS Color Fantasy	2004	2004	Oslo Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... —Kiel Kiel Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
MS Color Magic MS Color Magic MS Color Magic is a cruiseferry owned and operated by the Norway-based shipping company Color Line on their route connecting Oslo, Norway to Kiel, Germany. She was built by Aker Finnyards, Rauma, Finland in 2007. The Color Magic is the largest cruiseferry in the world.The Color Magic is a sister...	2007	2007	Oslo Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... —Kiel Kiel Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...		Largest cruiseferry in the world
MS Color Viking MS Color Viking MS Color Viking is a cruiseferry owned by the Norway-based Color Line, operated on their service between Sandefjord and Strömstad. She was built in 1985 as MS Peder Paars by Nakskov Skipsværft, Nakskov, Denmark for DSB Færger...	1985	2000	Sandefjord—Strömstad		ex-Peder Paars, Stena Invicta
	2008	2008	Kristiansand Kristiansand -History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040... —Hirtshals Hirtshals Hirtshals is a town in Hjørring municipality in Region Nordjylland on the north coast of the island of Vendsyssel-Thy at the top of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark, Europe.-The town of Hirtshals:...
	2008	2008	Larvik Larvik is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Larvik. Larvik kommune - has about 41 364 inhabitants and covers 530 km2.... —Hirtshals
¹May be specified in gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... (GT) or gross register tons (GRT).

Former ships

Ship	Built	Years in service	Tonnage¹	Status as of 2009
	1987	1991–2007		Since 2007 MS Oscar Wilde for Irish Ferries
MS Prinsesse Ragnhild MS Prinsesse Ragnhild MS Bahamas Celebration is a cruiseferry owned by Celebration Cruise Line. Since March 2009 she had been operating two- and three-day cruises from Port Everglades to the Bahamas...	1980	1991–2008		Since 2008 MS Bahamas Celebration
	1973	1991–1999		Since 2004 laid up in Nassau Nassau, Bahamas Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas... as MS Mirage I
	1975	1991–2005		Since 2005 MS Sherazad for Arab Bridge Maritime Co.
	1974	1991–1994		Since 2002 MS Cesme for Turkish Marmara Lines
MS Christian IV MS Christian IV MS Julia is a cruiseferry owned and operated by Fastnet Line on a service connecting Swansea to Cork. She was built in 1982 as MS Olau Britannia by Weser Seebeckswerft in Bremerhaven for Olau Line, who used her on Sheerness—Vlissingen service. In 1990 she was sold to Fred. Olsen Lines and renamed...	1982	1991–2008		Since 2009 MS Julia for Fastnet Line Fastnet Line Fastnet Line operate a passenger & freight ferry service from Ringaskiddy, Cork, Ireland to Swansea, Wales.-History:From 1987 to 2006, the Swansea Cork ferry was operated by Swansea Cork Ferries Limited, an Irish-based company. The service ceased operating after the 2006 season... .
	1975	1994–1998		Since 2007 MS Jupiter for Royal Group Ltd.
	1985	1994–2008		Since 2008 MS Mega Smeralda for Corsica Ferries Corsica Ferries Corsica Ferries and Sardinia Ferries are marketing names used by Corsica Ferries, a France-based ferry company that operates traffic to and from the islands of Corsica and Sardinia...
	1991	1996		Since 2006 HSC Pescara Jet for SNAV SNAV SNAV is an Italian company that operates ferry services from Italy to Sardinia, Croatia and Sicily.- Routes :SNAV operates a large network of routes across the Mediterranean and Adriatic.... .
	1991	1996		Since 2007 HSC Snaefell for Isle of Man Steam Packet Isle of Man Steam Packet The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited is the oldest continuously operating passenger shipping company in the world, celebrating its 180th anniversary in 2010....
	1984	1996–1997		Since 2005 MS Fast Independence for Independence Shipping Co. Ltd.
	1981	1996–2008		Since 2008 MS SNAV Toscana for SNAV SNAV SNAV is an Italian company that operates ferry services from Italy to Sardinia, Croatia and Sicily.- Routes :SNAV operates a large network of routes across the Mediterranean and Adriatic....
HSC Silvia Ana L HSC Silvia Ana L HSC Silvia Ana L is a high-speed ferry owned and operated by Color Line on a route connecting Kristiansand, Norway to Hirtshals, Denmark. She was built in 1996 by Bazans Fernando Shipyard, Cadiz, Spain for the Uruguay-based Buquebus...	1996	1997–2007		Since 2007 sailing for Buquebus Buquebus Buquebus is a Uruguayan company which operates ferry services from Montevideo, Colonia and Piriapolis to Buenos Aires. The company also operates a fleet of coaches to Termas del Arapey, Termas del Dayman, Salto, Uruguay, Carmelo, Atlántida, Punta del Este, La Paloma, La Pedrera and Punta del Diablo...
	1997	1997–1998		Since 2007 HSC Queen Nefertiti for Arab Bridge Maritime Co.
	1977	1998		Scrapped 2004
	1972	1998		Since 2003 MS Dorrah Jeddah, owned by an unknown Saudiarabian company
	1965	1999–2000		Since 2007 MS Red Star I for Star Ferries
	1976	1999		Since 2007 MS Ammari for Ustica Lines
MS European Mariner MS European Mariner -History:European Mariner was launched in 1978 as Salahala for the Salahala Shipping Company. She was chartered by Gilvani for use on the Genoa - Malta - Pireus - Alexandria route...	1978	2002		Since 2003 sailing for P&O Ferries P&O Ferries P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
MS Gute	1979	2003		Since 2007 laid up in Visby Visby -See also:* Battle of Visby* Gotland University College* List of governors of Gotland County-External links:* - Visby*... , owned by Rederi AB Gotland
MS Calibur	1976	2003		Since 2007 sails for P&O Ferries P&O Ferries P&O Ferries is the current name for the amalgamation of a range of ferry services that operated from the United Kingdom to Ireland and Continental Europe...
	1981	2004–2006		Since 2007 MS Rostock for Scandlines Scandlines Scandlines is a major German-Danish ferry operator.It consists of a parent company, Scandlines AG, and under this parent company a German subsidiary named Scandlines Deutschland GmbH and a Danish subsidiary named Scandlines Danmark A/S...
¹May be specified in gross tonnage Gross tonnage Gross tonnage is a unitless index related to a ship's overall internal volume. Gross tonnage is different from gross register tonnage... (GT) or gross register tons (GRT).

Key people

Trond Kleivdal, Managing Director
Elisabeth Anspach, Marketing Director
Helge Otto Mathisen, Information Director
Svein Sørensen, Technical Director
Jan Kverneland, E-business Director
Rolf Kjær, Project Director
Frode Hansen, Route Director Norway-Germany
Odd Grønnberg, Route Director Norway-Denmark
Laila Valdal, Route Director Norway-Sweden

External links

Color Line official website

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