Stena Line is strengthening its position in the Baltic Sea by acquiring NLC Ferry Ab Oy/Wasaline. The company will be taking over operations of the ferry route between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland.
The only existing ferry connection between Umeå and Vaasa is jointly owned by the two cities through the 50/50-owned company Kvarken Link, which in turn owns NLC Ferry, which operates under the auxiliary name Wasaline. Under the agreement signed today, Stena Line will acquire NLC Ferry and take over the operation of Wasaline.
The vessel Aurora Botnia, which sails the route, will continue to be owned by Kvarken Link, the company jointly owned by the two cities.
‘It is strategically important to ensure that the service between Vaasa and Umeå continues and has the possibility to grow in the future,’ says Peter Ståhlberg, CEO of Wasaline. ‘We look forward to continuing to develop our work on environmental and operational efficiency together with Stena Line. Wasaline’s staff, both onshore and onboard, will continue to deliver the same great service as today. This will be a major boost for the region, bringing significant positive synergies.’
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Opportunities for intermodality
In July 2025, Wasaline entered into a biogas agreement with Gasum and a FuelEU Maritime pooling agreement with Stena Line, making the Umeå–Vaasa route the first international green shipping corridor. With this next step Stena Line further strengthens its position as one of the leaders in sustainability within the ferry industry.
Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line: ‘With Wasaline, we not only gain a vessel equipped with the latest environmental technology and capable of sailing CO2-neutral on a regular basis, we also enhance our access to alternative fuels. In addition, we gain a strong intermodal transport link toward Gothenburg and Trelleborg, and onwards to the European continent.’
‘Together with the City of Vaasa, we have strengthened the connections across the Kvarken and proven that the service is profitable,’ adds Hans Lindberg, Chair of the Municipal Executive Board, Umeå Municipality. ‘This has happened during a turbulent time when infrastructure, civil defence, and preparedness have become more relevant than ever.’
‘Now, it is time to bring in a larger operator with the knowledge, expertise, and resources that the cities themselves do not possess. We are very pleased to have found a shared vision with Stena Line,’ concludes Frans Villanen, Chair of the City Council of Vaasa.
Also read: Aurora Botnia to sail carbon-neutrally in Baltic Sea
Next steps
The acquisition is subject to approval by the respective municipal councils of Umeå and Vaasa, expected to take place in November 2025. The transaction is also conditional to customary closing conditions such as authority approvals. The closing is expected to take place in the beginning of the year 2026.
Stena Line is one of Europe’s leading ferry operators, with twenty routes across the continent. In the Baltic Sea, Stena Line currently operates ferry routes between Trelleborg–Rostock, Karlskrona–Gdynia, Ventspils–Travemünde, and Nynäshamn–Liepaja. With the addition of Umeå–Vaasa, Stena Line will have its fifth Baltic Sea route. Stena Line also operates several ports in the region.
Picture: Ferry Aurora Botnia (photo by Wasaline).
