Stena Line Acquires Wasaline

Stena Line strengthened its position in the Baltic Sea by acquiring NLC Ferry Ab Oy/Wasaline and taking over operations of the ferry route between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland.

“It is with great joy and enthusiasm that we at Stena Line take on the responsibility for Wasaline and the route between two important regions and cities, Umeå and Vaasa,” says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line.

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. 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,” says Peter Ståhlberg, CEO of Wasaline.

In July 2025, Wasaline entered into a biogas agreement with Gasum and a Fuel EU 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.

“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,” said Mårtensson.

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.

Aurora Botnia
Photographer: Wasaline