Some 36,000 passengers who had already booked tickets to travel on either the MS Stavangerfjord or the MS Bergensfjord services have had their trips cancelled.

Newspaper Bergens Tidende reports that the services will not run throughout the spring due to rising fuel costs.

The ferries currently run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which has increased in price ten-fold, according to Fjordline CEO Brian Thorsted Hansen. 

The two ships being taken out of service will be converted to run-on marine gas oils (MGO), which have also increased in price- but not to the extent of liquefied natural gas. 

“Due to the energy crisis in Europe and very high gas prices, Fjord Line will rebuild its two ships which are currently powered by liquified natural gas (LNG). The conversion means that the ships will be able to switch between LNG and MGO as fuel, so that we ensure an economically sustainable operation also in the period until LNG prices normalise,” Fjordline writes on its website. 

Customers who had booked to travel on the services will be offered a refund, travel vouchers to be used with Fjordline, or the opportunity to be rebooked at a later date. 

MS Stavangerfjord sails Bergen-Stavanger-Hirtshals, MS Bergensfjord Hirtshals-Langesund. Neither of the routes will be operated between February 8th and May 25th. Fjordline has said that its Kristiansand-Hirtshals will run as normal from March 31st. 

Full service on all its routes to Denmark will not resume until June 17th, Fjordline writes on its website.