Scandlines is the result of more than a century’s l close co-operation across the Danish-German border, started with the establishing of the first rail ferry link between Warnemünde (Gernamy) and Gedser (Danmark) on 30 September 1903.
The history of Danish Scandlines A/S goes back to 1872 when the Danish national rail company, DSB, started a ferry route between Funen and Jutland. Shortly after followed the establishment of a rail link across the Great Belt, and in 1957 an actual car ferry link over the Great Belt.
With the road-rail link connecting eastern and western Denmark, the Danish government’s strategic interest in ferry operations disappeared and hence, as far back as 1995 the company was separated from DSB and established as an independent limited company. It was given the name DSB Rederi A/S and the Danish Ministry of Transport was sole shareholder. In 1997 the name was changed from DSB Rederi A/S to Scandlines Danmark A/S.
Scandlines Deutschland GmbH (former DFO) was established in 1993 as a private company when the former east and west German rail companies, Deutsche Reichsbahn and Deutsche Bundesbahn, merged their ferry services. The new shipping company, owned by Deutsche Bahn AG, continued to expand its existing route network and intensified co-operation with its long-term Danish and Swedish partners, Scandlines Danmark A/S and Scandlines AB respectively.
The German rail company’s ferry history can,, be traced all the way back to 1903 when the first rail-ferry connection between Gedser and Warnemünde was opened. In 1909 the first rail-ferry service between Germany and Sweden followed, the “Königslinie” between Sassnitz (Germany) and Trelleborg (Sweden).
The co-operation between the two ferry companies in Denmark and Germany really reached a new level of quality, in 1963, when the common ferry traffic on the Fugleflugtslinien (Vogelfluglinie) between Rødby and Puttgarden was opened.
The route was continually improved - most recently in 1997 when Euro 250 Million (DKK 2 billion) was invested in a total modernisation of ferry berths and in four modern identical double-ended ferries.
The merger of the former shipping line partners, DFO and Scandlines A/S, resulting in the founding of Scandlines AG on 21 July 1998, brought a new quality to the almost century-long co-operation between the Danish and German rail services and their successor companies. Two partners that have always worked together - despite two world wars and 40 years of a divided Germany - were now united in a single joint enterprise.
In the following years Scandlines consequently extended its international route network by establishing new ferry services to the Baltic states and Finland.
After nearly 10 years the two owners, the Danish Ministry of Transport and Energy and Deutsche Bahn AG (Germany) decided to sell, their shares in the company. At the end of August 2007 a consortium consisting of the two investment funds, 3i Group and Allianz Capital Partners GmbH (each taking 40 % of the shares), and Deutsche Seereederei GmbH which owned 20%, became the new owners of one of Europe’s leading ferry companies. The company was subsequently converted to Scandlines GmbH, and at the end of 2010, Deutsche Seereederei GmbH sold its shares to 3i and Allianz, who know own 50 % each of the Scandlines Group. |
"Prinsesse Alexandrine" plied between Warnemünde and Gedser from 1903 to 1933 (Photo: Arkiv Dansk Færgehistorisk Selskab)
"Dronning Ingrid" plied on the Great Belt in many years
The former DFO merged with Scandlines Danmark A/S in 1993
"Kong Frederik" opened the Fugleflugtslinje/Vogelfluglinie in 1963 (Photo: Scanpix)
The President of the German Federal Republic Dr. Heinrich Lübke and the Danish King Frederik IX at the opening of the Fugleflugtslinje (Photo: Scanpix)
"Deutschland" on the Puttgarden-Rødby route
Scandlines - one of Europe's leading ferry companies
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