Molslinjen
Danish ferry operator
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Molslinjen (previously Mols-Linien) is a Danish company that operates ferry services between Jutland and Zealand, and also services to Bornholm. In March 2017, the division operating the routes in the Kattegat was renamed to Molslinjen.
| Company type | Aktieselskab |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Mols-Linien |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | Aarhus, Denmark |
Area served |
|
Key people | Kristian Durhuus CEO |
| Services | Passenger transportation, Freight transportation |
| Website | www |
History
Mols-Linien was formed by DFDS in 1964 sailings commenced on 18 May 1966[1].
A downturn in traffic following the 1973 oil crisis led Mols-Linien into a pooling agreement with rival Grenaa-Hundested Linien in 1979.[2]
In 1984 DFDS sold Mols-Linien and Grenaa-Hundested Linien to J. Lauritzen A/S. The company was sold 4 years later to Danish investment company DIFKO.
In 1999 Mols-Linien merged with Scandlines subsidiary Cat-Link.
Scandlines sold its holding to the Clipper Group in 2008.
In July 2011, Mols-Linien announced it was to terminate the Kalundborg – Aarhus route and sell the two vessels operating the route.[3]
Mols-Linien terminated the Aarhus – Kalundborg route on 15 September 2011. Thereafter the route was operated by Kattegatruten until October 2013 and then suspended.
In 2016 Mols-Linien won a 10-year public tender to operate ferry services to Bornholm, and operations started in September 2018 under the name Bornholmslinjen. In 2017, the routes in the Kattegat operated under the new name Molslinjen[1].
In 2018, the ferry routes of Alslinjen, Langelandslinjen, Samsølinjen and Fanølinjen became part of Molslinjen with the acquisition of Danske Færger.[4][5]
In January 2023, the Danish and Swedish competition regulators approved the sale of ForSea Ferries to Molslinjen for an undisclosed sum.[6]
In 2025, the company ordered three battery-electric Incat catamarans for the Kattegat route in 2028.[7][8]
Fleet
Molslinjen catamarans
| Image | Name | Built | Enterered service | Gross Tonnage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express 2 | 2013 | 2013 | 10,503 GT | Built by Incat shipyards in Tasmania[9] | |
| Express 3 | 2017 | 2017 | 10,842 GT | Built by Incat, first sailed April 2017[9] | |
| Express 4 | 2018 | 2018 | 10,500 GT | Built by Austal in Western Australia[10]. Austal ships do not have the centre bow that characterises the previous solely Incat built catamarans. |
Bornholms-linjen
| Image | Name | Built | Enterered service | Gross Tonnage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Express 1 | 2009 | 2012 | 10,503 GT | Built by Incat[9] | |
| Hammershus | 2018 | 2018 | 18,009 GT | Operates on Rønne–Køge and Rønne–Sassnitz routes | |
| Poul Anker | 1978 | 2016 | 12.131 GT | Operates on Rønne–Køge and Rønne–Sassnitz routes | |
| Express 5 | 2022 | 2023 | 13,448 GT | Built by Austal, cost €83.7 million. Carries 1,610 passengers and 450 cars[11]. |
Øresundslinjen
Langelandslinjen
Fanølinjen
| Image | Name | Built | Enterered service | Gross Tonnage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M/F Menja | 1998 | 1998 | 751 | runs on HVO Diesel[23] | |
| M/F Fenja | 1998 | 1998 | 751 | runs on HVO Diesel[23] | |
| E/F Grotte | 2021 | 2022 | 925 | Battery-electric[24] |
Samsølinjen
| Image | Name | Built | Enterered service | Gross Tonnage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M/F Tyrfing[25] | 2025 | 2026 | 4.318 GT | battery-electric[26] launched in October 2024[27][28] |
Alslinjen
Former Ships
Routes


As of February 2023, Molslinjen operates the following routes around Denmark and surrounding countries, under a multitude of brand names:
- Molslinjen[33]
- Bornholmslinjen[34]
- Øresundslinjen
- Helsingør - Helsingborg (20min)
- Samsølinjen[35]
- Kalundborg – Ballen (Samsø) (1 hr 30 mins)
- Alslinjen[36]
- Bøjden (Funen) – Fynshav (Als) (50 mins)
- Langelandslinjen[37]
- Spodsbjerg – Tårs (Lolland Municipality) (45 mins)
- Fanølinjen[38]