The Swedish industrial Group Stena AB, owner of ferry operator Stena Line, has entered into an agreement to acquire the Norwegian shipping company Color Line, subject to regulatory approval. The transaction will bring together two companies with complementary operations in European passenger and freight transport, creating added value and benefits for both companies’ customers.

Privately owned Stena’s acquisition of Color Line from Norwegian industrialist Olav Nils Sunde and his family will unite two successful ferry operators with deep roots in Scandinavian maritime traditions, strong market expertise and high customer satisfaction.

Following completion, Stena intends for Color Line to continue as a separate, independent business and brand, with local management in Norway and Norwegian-registered ships. At the same time, Stena will use its industrial expertise, reach and experience to strengthen and further develop Color Line – including in decarbonization, technology and digitalization, customer service and logistics.

A TRUE MILESTONE
“This is a true milestone in Stena Line’s history, further strengthening our ability to be a reliable link between places, people and communities. When we welcome Color Line to the Stena family, I am confident that together we will be able not only to develop our business opportunities but also to contribute to the positive development of communities, including through tourism and more sustainable shipping,” says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line.

“Color Line is one of the most recognized and valued brands in our industry, and Stena wants to preserve these strengths while giving us a stronger foundation for the company’s further development and renewal as part of Stena. Together with our skilled and dedicated employees, we will have the strength to shape the future through quality, efficiency and reliability in every part of our business,” says Color Line’s CEO Trond Kleivdal

The signing of the agreement will not affect sailings, bookings or ongoing customer and supplier relationships within Color Line or Stena-owned Stena Line. Both companies will continue to operate as separate, independent businesses while the transaction awaits regulatory approval.

TRANSACTION DETAILS
The transaction will be structured as a share purchase agreement under which Stena AB’s wholly owned subsidiary, Stena Rederi AB acquires all shares in Color Group AS from ONS Invest II AS, which is wholly owned by Olav Nils Sunde and his family. ONS Invest II owns 100% of Color Group, which in turn owns 100% of Color Line and its subsidiaries. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of the proposed transaction, which is subject to regulatory review. The proposed transaction is expected to be completed towards the end of Q1 or during Q2 2027.

About Stena/Stena Lin

• Stena AB is one of Sweden’s largest family-owned companies, with global operations in shipping, ferry services, offshore activities, property and finance.
• The Stena AB Group employs 17 300 people around the world and has a total revenue of SEK 51.9 billion.
• Stena Line is one of Europe’s leading ferry operators, with 40 ships and 19 routes in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, making a total of 35,000 sailings annually.
• Stena Line is an important part of the European logistics network and develops new intermodal freight solutions by combining rail, road and sea transport.
• Stena Line also plays an important role in European tourism through its extensive passenger operations. The company is family-owned, was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Gothenburg.
• Stena Line has 8,750 employees and revenue of SEK 20.2 billion.

About Color Line

• Color Line AS is Norway’s largest and one of Europe’s leading cruise and ferry operators, with approximately 2,200 full-time equivalents across four countries.
• The company has a fleet of five ships operating four international ferry routes, calling at seven ports in Norway, Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
• In 2025, the company generated revenue of more than NOK 6.7 billion and carried nearly 3.6 million passengers and 150,000 freight units to and from Norway.