Lion Ferry was a Swedish ferry company which operated passenger and freight ferry services in Scandinavia and North America.
History In 1960 The Prins Bertil entered service between Halmstad in Sweden and the Danish port of Aarhus. The company acquired Norwegian ferry operator Europafergen in 1965.
Between 1970 and 1976 Lion operated a route between Portland, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia using the Prince of Fundy. In 1973 it started a joint venture with Irish Shipping to form Irish Continental Line and in 1985 was acquired by Stena Line
In 1995 the company began to operate between Karlskrona in Sweden and Gdynia in Poland route in 1995. In 1997 Lion Ferry services were rebranded as Stena Line.
Routes Lion Ferry operated various routes during its 39 years in operation. Halmstad – Aarhus Halmstad – Grenå Varberg – Grenå Karlskrona – Gdynia Portland, Maine – Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Bremerhaven – Harwich (marketed as Prinzen Line)
Fleet Lion Ferry operated many vessels during its time in operation.
Name Built In service with Lion Tonnage Notes MS Prins Bertil 1960 1960–1964 2,355 GRT Chartered in 1964 to Red AB Nordö as M/S Calmar Nyckel. Sold 1965 to Red AB Nordö. MS Prins Bertil 1964 1964–1966 3,625 GRT Sold to Canadian National in 1966 and renamed Leif Eirikson. MS Varberg 1940 1964–1966 1,217 GRT MS Europafergen 1960 1965–1978 2,209 GRT MS Gustav Vasa 1965 1965–1971 3,801 GRT Broken up in 2004. MS Kronprins Carl Gustaf 1966 1966–1971 3,801 GRT MS Prins Hamlet 1966 1966–1969 8,687 GRT Broken up in 2002. MS Europafärjan II 1964 1970–1976 2,498 GRT MS Prins Oberon 1970 1970–1978 7,993 GRT Has since operated as casino ship Ambassador II in Florida. MS Prince of Fundy 1970 1970–1978 5,464 GRT Broken up in 2005. MS Gustav Vasa 1973 1973–1983 7,457 GRT Converted to book ship Logos Hope MS Svealand 1973 1973–1982 5,159 GRT Has since operated in the Adriatic Sea as the Seatrade MS Europafärjan III 1974 1974–1983 4,774 GRT Has since been operated by Moby Lines as Moby Niki MS EuropafärjanMS Europafärjan IIMS Lion Princess 1971 1983–19851985–19871987–1994 8,772 GRT Has since operated for Color Line as Bohus MS Lion Queen 1967 1988–19891994–1997 14,193 GRT Scrapped in Alang in 2021. MS Europafärjan IMS Lion Prince 1969 1985–19871987–1997 5,679 GRT MS Lion KingMS Lion King II 1986 1995–19961996 11,763 GRT Has since served on the Varberg – Grenå route as the Stena Nautica MS Lion King 1979 1996–1997 10,604 GRT MS Lion Europe 1981 1997 14,378 GRT Has since served with Stena Line as Stena Europe
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