On Saturday 14 March Stena Line suspended the operation of the ferry route between Trelleborg in Sweden and Sassnitz in Germany until further notice. Now, the Company announced plans for the permanent closure of the route, including check-in areas and bordershop in Sassnitz. In recent years, approximately 300,000 annual passengers travelled via Sassnitz-Trelleborg, while freight volumes and train traffic on the route have declined.
Due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and following travel restrictions in Europe Stena Line has experienced a large decline in travel bookings and freight volumes. It is estimated that passenger figures will not recover until well into 2021. As a result of the significant reduction in revenue, the Company is forced to take tough decisions in order to cut costs and secure its vital supply lines of essential goods across Europe. Stena Line has initiated discussions with the worker´s council (Betriebsrat) in Germany.
The ferry FS Sassnitz is laid up in Port of Mukran, Sassnitz, until further notice. Stena Line is currently operating two ferry routes between Sweden and Germany, which are primarily carrying freight, and with a reduced passenger capacity. Trelleborg- Rostock with the two vessel Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Skåne operates 40 departures per week. Gothenburg-Kiel with the two vessels Stena Scandinavica and Stena Germanica operates 12 departures per week.
Stena Line is one of Europe's leading ferry companies with 37 vessels and 19 routes in Northern Europe. Stena Line is an important part of the European logistics network and develops new intermodal freight solutions by combining transport by rail, road and sea. Stena Line also plays an important role for tourism in Europe with its extensive passenger operations. The company is family-owned, was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Gothenburg. Stena Line is part of the Stena AB Group, which has about 15 000 employees and an annual turnover of around 35 billion SEK.