Corona development means that Fjord Line must lay off 130 employees. In addition, the route offer between Langsund and Denmark is greatly reduced.

(Porsgrunn Dagblad) When MS Stavangerfjord had its last departure from Langesund on Saturday 1 January – we will not return to Telemark until 28 February. Fjord Line lays off 130 Norwegian employees and implements the wage compensation scheme in Denmark.

– The latest development with Covid-19 and new, national travel restrictions, puts us in Fjord Line to a tough test, says CEO Brian Thorsted Hansen to Porsgrunn Dagblad.

Due to reduced travel activity, Stavangerfjord will be taken out of operation from 4 January to 28 February. MS Bergensfjord will call at Langesund only on weekends during this period.

– On weekdays, Bergensfjord will be in traffic between Hirtshals, Stavanger and Bergen, and on weekends it will also call at Langesund, says Brian Thorsted Hansen to PD.

Permits 130 in Norway

The CEO tells the newspaper that Fjord Line has sent a permit notice to 130 employees at sea and on land in the Norwegian part of the company. In Denmark, Fjord Line must use the Danish wage compensation scheme.

– In order to meet the consequences of the new restrictions, and deal with the marked decline in people’s travel activity, we must adapt the operations of the company and make temporary changes in our route offer, says the CEO.

Brian Thorsted Hansen adds that the measures involve adjusted route offers and reduced activity levels both at sea and on land for a period to come.

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Closed at the ferry terminal

At Langesund ferry terminal, the terminal building will be closed on weekdays ahead. There will be no ship calls or car traffic to the ferry terminal in the days ahead, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays.

– In order to take care of the necessary infrastructure and customers, MS Bergensfjord will continue to run during this period until 28 February. However, the sailing plan will be reduced, says the Danish CEO.

No redundancies

Brian Thorsted Hansen says in a comment to PD that despite the temporary change measures in the company, it is per. today no plans for layoffs.

– The measures that we are now launching have an undisputed purpose for Fjord Line to be strengthened on the other side with all employees and so on, says Thorsted Hansen.

The ferry Oslofjord, which runs between Sandefjord and Strømstad, has been in storage since 1 January.

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Located in storage in Langesund

Grenland Havn IKS, which rents out Langesund ferry terminal to Fjord Line, informed on its Facebook pages this weekend that MS Stavangerfjord has been in storage in Langesund for a few days, until departure on Saturday 1 January at 2.30 pm.

Noise to the surroundings was to be limited as best it could, while the ship was at the quay at Langesund ferry terminal.