Ferry operator up for sale

Ferry operator Scandlines has been put on the market by 3i, its private equity owner.

Danish-headquartered Scandlines operates three lines for passenger and freight in and between Denmark, Sweden and Germany. 

According to the Sunday Times, the ferry company could be worth around £600 million.

3i and Allianz Capital Partners (ACP) bought Scandlines for 1.5 billion euros at the peak of the buyout boom in 2007, backed with 1.28 billion euros of debt

In 2013 following a failed attempt to sell the business, 3i bought out ACP’s 50% share of the business in a deal that placed the current value of Scandlines at the time at just over 1.3 billion euros.

In 2016 Scandlines made 90,000 departures on 12 ferries, carrying 15 million passengers, 3.2 million cars, 1 million freight units and 64,000 buses on the Puttgarden-Rødby, Rostock-Gedser and Helsingør-Helsingborg routes.

Scandlines has recently objected to EU support of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel which will no doubt have an impact on sales once its construction is complete in 2028.

At a length of 18 km, the Fehmarnbelt fixed link, connecting the Danish island of Lolland with the German island of Fehmarn, will be the world’s longest immersed tunnel and the longest tunnel for both road and rail traffic.

However Scandlines’ prospects are thought to be solid and there should be considerable interest in the business from infrastructure funds.

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