Stena Line acquires Wasaline, takes over green corridor route

The only existing ferry connection between Vaasa and Umeå 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 brand name Wasaline. Under the agreement, 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 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,” said Stena Line chief executive Niclas Mårtensson.

“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,” said Wasaline chief executive Peter Ståhlberg.

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 an international green shipping corridor.

“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,” added Mr Mårtensson.

City Council of Vaasa chair Frans Villanen said the two municipalities connected by the ferry route are "very proud of how brave we were", when they committed to maintaining the ferry connection across the Kvarken Strait, and credited Wasaline managing director Peter Ståhlberg and the whole of the company for the project’s success. 

"The growing number of passengers and freight volumes each year show that it was the right decision. Now, it is time to bring in a larger operator with the knowledge, expertise, and resources that the cities themselves do not possess,” the councillor said.

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 at the beginning of 2026.