Routes & Operators
Stena AB agrees to acquire Color Line
Stena AB, owner of Stena Line, has agreed to acquire Color Line from Olav Nils Sunde and his family, subject to regulatory approval. Stena Rederi AB will buy all the shares in Color Group AS. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value, and completion is expected towards the end of Q1 or during Q2 2027.
Source: Stena Line (opens in a new tab)
Stena Line said on 26 October 2026 that Stena AB has entered into an agreement to acquire the Norwegian shipping company Color Line, subject to regulatory approval. The signing will not affect sailings, bookings, or ongoing customer and supplier relationships. Both companies will continue as separate businesses while the transaction awaits regulatory approval.
Following completion, Stena intends for Color Line to continue as a separate, independent business and brand, with local management in Norway and Norwegian-registered ships.
The transaction is a share purchase. Stena AB’s wholly owned subsidiary, Stena Rederi AB, acquires all shares in Color Group AS from ONS Invest II AS, which is wholly owned by Olav Nils Sunde and his family. ONS Invest II owns 100% of Color Group, which in turn owns 100% of Color Line and its subsidiaries. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of the proposed transaction. It is expected to be completed towards the end of Q1 or during Q2 2027.
Color Line has a fleet of five ships operating four international ferry routes, calling at seven ports in Norway, Germany, Denmark and Sweden. In 2025 the company generated revenue of more than NOK 6.7 billion and carried nearly 3.6 million passengers and 150,000 freight units to and from Norway.
Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line, said: “This is a true milestone in Stena Line’s history, further strengthening our ability to be a reliable link between places, people and communities.”