Molslinjen

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.

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

Bornholms-linjen

Øresundslinjen

Langelandslinjen

Fanølinjen

Samsølinjen

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]
  • OddenEbeltoft (55 mins)
  • OddenAarhus (1 hr 20 mins)
  • Bornholmslinjen[34]
  • RønneYstad (1 hr 20 mins)
  • RønneSassnitz (3 hr 20 mins)
  • RønneKøge (5 hr 30 mins)
  • Øresundslinjen
  • Helsingør - Helsingborg (20min)
  • Samsølinjen[35]
  • KalundborgBallen (Samsø) (1 hr 30 mins)
  • Alslinjen[36]
  • Bøjden (Funen)Fynshav (Als) (50 mins)
  • Langelandslinjen[37]
  • SpodsbjergTårs (Lolland Municipality) (45 mins)
  • Fanølinjen[38]
  • EsbjergNordby (12 mins)

References

  1. Heino Skjøtt. Mols-Linien (Historie) Færgejournalen, retrieved 16 January 2026^
  2. Mols Line Ferry Postcards retrieved 15 February 2017^
  3. 2358059 - Profile^
  4. Om FANØLINJEN FANØLINJEN, retrieved 2023-01-21^
  5. [https://ferryshippingnews.com/molslinjen-buys-danske-faerger/ Ferry Shipping News. Molslinjen Buys Danske Færger.] Retrieved 22 January 2023^
  6. [https://www.sjofartstidningen.se/molslinjen-far-gront-ljus-for-kopet-av-forsea/ Sjöfartstidningen. Molslinjen får grönt ljus för köpet av ForSea.] Retrieved 19 January 2023^
  7. Alan Bosworth. Molslinjen orders two electric catamaran ferries for Kattegat route Baird Maritime / Work Boat World, 22 July 2025^
  8. Molslinjen taps Incat Tasmania to build third fully electric, high-speed ferry Riviera, 5 December 2025^
  9. Incat Heralds New Generation Fast Ferry 21 April 2017, retrieved 9 May 2017^
  10. Austal Commences Construction of 109 Metre High Speed Ferry for Molslinjen of Denmark 26 April 2017^
  11. Austal to build new catamaran for Molslinjen^
  12. M/F Tycho Brahe ferry-site.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  13. Tycho Brahe faergelejet.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  14. M/F Aurora af Helsingborg ferry-site.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  15. Aurora af Helsingborg faergelejet.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  16. M/F Hamlet ferry-site.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  17. Hamlet faergelejet.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  18. Michael Koefoed-Hansen. Molslinjen sætter klimamål Færgenyt, 2024-07-28, retrieved 2024-11-14^
  19. M/F Mercandia IV ferry-site.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  20. Mercandia IV faergelejet.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  21. M/S Mercandia IV skip-siden.com, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  22. "Mercandia IV" faergejournalen.dk, retrieved 19 October 2023^
  23. Gamle Fanø-færger først med fossilfri biodiesel September 2021^
  24. El-færgen Grotte^
  25. Nye elfærger har fået navne Maritime Danmark, retrieved 16 January 2026^
  26. Stefan Holmager Larsen. Molslinjen har valgt værfter til byggeriet af nye elfærger Maritime Direct, 29 August 2022, retrieved 16 January 2026^
  27. Molslinjen: die dänische Fährreederei Samsølinjens feiert den Stapellauf der neuen Elektrofähre Seereisenportal, 2024-10-22, retrieved 14 November 2024^
  28. Søsætning af Samsølinjens elfærge, Tyrfing Molslinjen A/S, 21 October 2024, retrieved 14 November 2024^
  29. NERTHUS (MMSI219033781) Ship Photos MarineTraffic, retrieved 16 January 2026^
  30. Michael Koefoed-Hansen. Molslinjen sælger MAX Færgenyt, 30 April 2024, retrieved 14 November 2024^
  31. Michael Koefoed-Hansen. SAMSØ solgt til Blu Navy Færgenyt, 26 January 2025, retrieved 16 January 2026^
  32. https://www.maritimedanmark.dk/fynshav-solgt-til-italiensk-rederi^
  33. Time table MOLSLINJEN, retrieved 5 February 2023^
  34. BORNHOLMSLINJENs timetable BORNHOLMSLINJEN, retrieved 2023-02-05^
  35. SAMSØLINJENs fartplan SAMSØLINJEN, retrieved 2023-02-05^
  36. ALSLINJENs fartplan ALSLINJEN, retrieved 2023-02-05^
  37. LANGELANDSLINJENs fartplan og ruter LANGELANDLINJEN, retrieved 2023-02-05^
  38. FANØLINJENs fartplan FANØLINJEN, retrieved 2023-02-05^