Hurtigruten AS
Hurtigruten AS is a Norwegian coastal ferry service and cruise line headquartered in Oslo, Norway.[1] It is the larger of two companies currently operating Hurtigruten, the coastal ferry service along the Norwegian coast from which it takes its name.[2] HistoryHurtigruten AS is the result of a merger between the two previous operators of the Hurtigruten service, Troms Fylkes Dampskibsselskap (TFDS) and Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab (OVDS). TFDS was founded in 1866, and OVDS was established in 1868. The two companies merged in March 2006 to form Hurtigruten Group ASA, and twelve months later the merged entity assumed the name Hurtigruten ASA.[citation needed] In 2012, the company headquarters was moved from Narvik to Tromsø.[1] In October 2014, TDR Capital purchased a majority ownership of Hurtigruten.[4] In 2015, the legal form of Hurtigruten was changed from ASA to AS.[5] OperationsThe Coastal ExpressSailing the original and iconic route of the Hurtigruten (literally "The Fast Route"), Hurtigruten AS stops at 34 ports from the southern city of Bergen and the northeastern city of Kirkenes. A daily passenger ferry, cruise, and shipping line along the western and northern Norwegian coast.[2] A total of 8 ships operate the route. TourismThe company owns a number of travel related companies, including the tour operator Spitsbergen Travel and a number of travel agencies in Norway and abroad. The Hurtigruten Museum is a maritime museum about the 'Hurtigruten' that is located in the port city of Stokmarknes, Norway. The MS Finnmarken, retired from the coastal express and a museum ship now, is located on shore beside the Hurtigruten Museum. Current fleetAs of 2024, Hurtigruten AS operates 10 ships in its fleet:[6]
Former assetsBusesHurtigruten ASA owned 71.3% of the transportation company TIRB. The shares were sold to Boreal Transport Nord AS in July 2014 for 95.9 million NOK.[18] Car ferriesHurtigruten AS operated a number of roll-on/roll-off car ferries in Nordland, Troms, Finnmark and Møre og Romsdal. HotelsHurtigruten AS owned two hotels in Bergen; Neptun Hotel and Strand Hotel. The hotels were sold to Bergen Hotel in 2008.[19] References
External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Hurtigruten AS.
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