Menu Home / About us / History History It all started in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1962. Sten A Olsson, the son of a skipper and boat owner founded Stena Line, launching its very first route between Gothenburg and Fredrikshavn, Denmark. Over 60 years and many milestones later, we are still a family-owned company staying true to the value of care: Care for customers, care for resources and care for each other. Curious to discover more? Read on below. Stena Line's historic milestones Our founder Sten A Olsson Sten Allan Olsson was the son of Skipper and ship owner from Donsö, an island in the Southern Gothenburg archipelago. In 1946 he bought his first vessel, calling it Dan (after his first son) and the shipping business started on a small scale. From Göteborg to Skagen in 1962 Stena Line was founded in Göteborg, with its first route running between Sweden and Denmark. The first ticket booth was introduced at Stenpiren, Göteborg, close to where Stena Line has its headquarters today. The low food prices in Denmark and the duty-free shopping onboard combined with the low fares was a fantastic recipe for success. From Göteborg to Kiel since 1967 Only five years later, we launched our first route to Germany, Kiel, making us a substantial player within the European ferry business. Transforming the ferry industry since 1972 In 1972, Stena Line was one of the first ferry operators in Europe to introduce a computer-based reservation system for the travel business area. In the same year, the Masthugg terminal in Göteborg was completed and freight services became a central part of the business. Becoming one of the largest shipping companies from 1989 onwards With the expansion and acquisitions in the Netherlands, UK, and Poland from 1989 to 1995, Stena Line reached a major milestone. The acquisition of the British ferry operator Sealink British Ferries and several Dutch companies doubled Stena Line’s size and made it into one of the largest shipping companies in the world. Connected to renewable energy since 1990 In 1990 we connected our first vessels to shore power in the Port of Göteborg for Stena Germanica (II) and Stena Scandinavica (III). By connecting a vessel to the local electrical grid when in port, we reduce the CO2 emissions. This is one example of how we care for resources. Introduction of the world's first high speed ferry in 1996 We introduced the world’s first high-speed ferry, built of aluminum, making maritime history. Stena Explorer was the first in a series of so-called HSS 1500 ferries (High-speed Sea Service). The HSS 1500 was an important step in our preparations for the changing travel patterns related to the phase-out of duty-free sales. Introducing ISO 14001 in 2005 In 2005, all Scandinavian routes in Stena Line were certified according to ISO 14001, an international standard for environmental management systems and a tool for the company to improve in the sustainability field. Launching Superferries in 2010 We broke the world record again! In 2010, we launched the world’s biggest RoPax vessels. Our two brand new Superferries Stena Hollandica and Stena Britannica started operating on the North Sea. Expansion into the Baltics in 2012 Stena Line acquired five new ferry routes between Sweden and Germany to Latvia, expanding into the Baltics. The expansion into the Baltics is increasing not only our presence but also expanding our offering for both freight and passengers. Apart from the purchase of the three routes between Germany and the Baltic States, Stena Line also acquired the vessel “Sassnitz” and the operations on the routes from Trelleborg to Rostock and Sassnitz. Making shipping even greener since 2015 We are the first in the world again! This time, Stena Germanica was the world’s first RoPax vessel converted to run on both diesel and methanol. Methanol reduces sulphur and particles to zero and lowers NOx substantially. Smooth sailings assisted by AI since 2018 We have developed an artificial intelligence-model that suggests the most fuel-efficient way to perform each sailing. This ground-breaking innovative model helps our captains and officers to sail smarter and ultimately reduce fuel consumption. Next-generation ferries joining our fleet since 2019 In total, five new next-generation ferries will be delivered in 2020, with Stena Estrid operating on the Dublin-Holyhead route since January 2020. These standardised vessels will be one of the most advanced and energy-efficient vessels in operation, optimised for efficiency and flexibility. This is the result of a very significant investment in Stena Line’s Irish Sea operations that reflects our commitment to the region. Learn more here Our ships Learn more about our ships in our network that operate between ten countries in Europe. Read more Route network We offer one of Europe's largest shipping route networks. Learn more here. 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