Today, Smyril Line officially took delivery of the cargo vessel Akranes from the CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai, China.
Akranes is the second of two new Ro-Ro cargo vessels delivered to Smyril Line, marking another important milestone in the company’s ongoing investment in modernising and future-proofing its fleet.
Akranes is scheduled to depart China next week, heading towards Europe.
We are proud to share that Smyril Line has been named Company of the Year 2026 at Industry Day, the annual business event organised by the House of Industry, held at the Nordic House in Tórshavn on Friday, 18 September.
In recent years, Smyril Line has undergone significant development in both its freight and tourism operations. The company has expanded its hotel operations, refurbished Norröna and opened several new restaurants. Smyril Line has also expanded its fleet and is now preparing to welcome two new cargo vessels. At the same time, Smyril Line’s freight operations have grown across the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands.
“Being named Company of the Year 2026 is a great honour. I would like to thank all our employees, both at sea and ashore, for their professionalism, dedication and hard work. Together, we will continue to develop our tourism and transport services across the North Atlantic,” says Jens Meinhard Rasmussen, CEO of Smyril Line.
Last Thursday, Norröna connected to shore power in Seyðisfjörður for the first time.
The shore power project has been carried out in cooperation with the Municipality of Múlaþing, which has been responsible for the work on shore. The Faroese company ETV has designed and installed the shore power solution on board Norröna.
Both Eyðun Hansen, Managing Director of ETV, and Heðin Mortensen, Chief Engineer on board Norröna, were in Seyðisfjörður when the system was put into operation, and both are very pleased with the result.
Shore power makes it possible for Norröna to switch off its auxiliary engines while berthed in port. Due to the vessel’s long port stay in Seyðisfjörður, this is estimated to save 7-8 tonnes of fuel per week. This corresponds to a reduction in CO₂ emissions of approximately 22-26 tonnes per week.
At the same time, air and noise pollution are significantly reduced, as engine noise, vibrations and certain emissions are eliminated when the auxiliary engines are switched off. This provides better conditions both on board and for people living and working near the port.
“The project demonstrates what can be achieved when authorities, ports, shipping companies and suppliers work together on practical solutions. At Smyril Line, we are very grateful for the excellent cooperation with the Municipality of Múlaþing and ETV,” says Jens Meinhard Rasmussen, CEO of Smyril Line.
Shore power is part of Smyril Line’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and to develop sustainable maritime transport in the North Atlantic.
Smyril Line has today taken delivery of its new Ro-Ro freight vessel Skipanes from the CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai, China.
Skipanes is the first of two new Ro-Ro freight vessels ordered by Smyril Line as part of a major investment in the company’s fleet and future freight services.
“We are very pleased to have taken delivery of SKIPANES, which will strengthen our freight services in the North Atlantic. This marks a milestone in the company’s history and an important step in the development of our fleet” says Jens Meinhard Rasmussen, CEO of Smyril Line.
Skipanes will now begin its voyage from China to Europe.
2024 has been a landmark year for Smyril Line, characterised by significant investments and strategic decisions aimed at securing the company’s future growth. Through targeted investments and operational improvements, we have strengthened our position in maritime transport and successfully adapted to evolving market conditions. Both our passenger and freight divisions have delivered strong performances throughout the year.
As part of our long-term growth strategy, Smyril Line signed a contract with CIMC Raffles shipyard in China in early 2024 to build two new freight vessels. These vessels, designed with sustainability and efficiency in mind, are scheduled to enter service in mid-2026. This investment reflects our commitment to enhancing service levels while advancing greener energy solutions within the maritime industry.
In May 2024, we commissioned Articon to construct our new headquarters, terminal, and storage facility in Tórshavn. This modern facility, set for completion in 2026, will optimise operations and improve service for both our freight and passenger customers.
Despite high inflation, labour strikes, and the introduction of new industry levies, Smyril Line delivered record-breaking financial results in 2024. Smyril Line achieved a net profit of DKK 127 million and an operating profit of DKK 286 million, surpassing 2023 earnings by DKK 5 million.
Based on current developments and outlook, Smyril Line expects continued growth in both passenger and freight transport in 2025. However, our financial outlook remains subject to external factors, including fuel prices, inflation, interest rates, and geopolitical developments. We will continue to focus on operational efficiency, sustainable investments, and customer service excellence to navigate the year ahead.
MV Lista, will commence operations on Monday, 27 January, on the route between Rotterdam, Tórshavn, and Þorlákshöfn.
MV Lista was built at Odense Staalskibsværft A/S in Denmark in 2011. The vessel is 193 meters long and 26 meters wide.
Today marked a significant milestone with the first groundbreaking at Molin in Tórshavn, where Smyril Line and Tórshavn Municipality, together with the Port of Tórshavn, will build a new port terminal and headquarters for P/F Smyril Line.
This joint project, set to be a state-of-the-art facility at Molin in Tórshavn, will be 8054 square meters in size and includes a passenger terminal with a gangway and check in, expanded warehouse, and office spaces for Smyril Line as well as facilities for customs.
Articon, Henning Larsen Architects, LBF Consulting Engineers, PBC, and Verk.fo are jointly responsible for the project, which is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
Smyril Line and Articon have made an agreement to build a terminal. The new terminal will also include a warehouse and offices. The building will be situated on the harbor in Tórshavn.
Smyril Line needs larger storage and office facilities, and Tórshavnar Havn (Port of Tórshavn) requires a better and larger terminal than the old one. Therefore, a collaboration agreement has been made.
With this project, Smyril Line and Tórshavnar Havn aim to secure their future operations and provide better services.
The new terminal, including storage and office spaces, will cover a total area of 7,389 square metres. The project also includes a customs building, a gangway, and check-in areas, bringing the total area to 8,054 square metres.
The work is expected to be completed in the summer of 2026.
The advisors on the project are: Henning Larsen Architects, LBF Consulting Engineers, PBC, and Verk.fo.
I de seneste mange år har Norröna sejlet fra Færøerne torsdag aften og fra Hirtshals lørdag eftermiddag, men i november 2024 vil sejlplanen blive ændret.
Fra den 8. november 2024 vil vintersejlplanen være som følger:
Fra slutningen af november til midten af marts er der ingen sejlads til Island, men når Norröna genoptager sejladsen til Island i marts, vil Norönna sejle fra Tórshavn til Island tirsdag og fra Seyðisfjörður til Færøerne torsdag aften.
I juni begynder sommersejlplanen, og den vil være den samme som i de foregående år. Norröna vil sejle to gange om ugen mellem Danmark og Færøerne og en gang om ugen til Island i løbet af sommeren.
Smyril Line had its annual general meeting at Hotel Hafnia today. At the meeting, the annual report for 2023 was presented. EBITDA for 2023 was 267 million DKK, compared with 201 million DKK in 2022. The profit after tax was 122 million DKK, compared with 77 million DKK in 2022. This is therefore a record year for the company. Smyril Line is paying a 10 million DKK dividend for 2023.
The number of employees at the Smyril Line group was 595 in 2023. This was about the same as the previous year. The cargo operations were generally successful, and on the passenger side, there was a reasonable increase in demand for Iceland, while the demand for the Faroe Islands decreased slightly in 2023 compared to 2022.
The largest investment by Smyril Line in 2023 was the cargo ship Glyvursnes, which joined the company in December. Glyvursnes sails the route between Tórshavn, Þórlakshöfn, and Hirtshals. With the purchase of Glyvursnes, Smyril Line can service the entire route network with its own fleet.
The outlook for 2024 is reasonably good. We expect steady development both within travel and cargo operations. This assessment is based on the current trend and outlook, but factors such as rising fuel prices, duties, interest rate hikes, inflation, and the political situation can change the conditions.
It is of great importance that Smyril Line continuously renews and future-proofs its fleet. We are pleased that in January this year, we made a contract to build two new cargo ships, which will join the fleet in 2026. Thus, the renewal of the fleet has begun. This means that we can also in the future provide our customers with good service and lead the company towards a greener energy solution.
Board: The board consists of Tummas Justinussen, Arne Joensen, Helga á Borg, and Jens Meinhard Rasmussen.
If you have questions, you are welcome to contact Jens Meinhard Rasmussen, CEO, on tel. no. 794910.
