Norfolk Line Ferries
Norfolkline
Norfolkline is a leading European short sea carrier. It provides freight ferry services on the English Channel, Irish Sea, and the North Sea, passenger ferry services on the English channel and Irish Sea, and logistics services across Europe. Norfolkline’s Dover-Dunkerque service is now established as a regular award winner, and the company has recently introduced a new fleet of 3 purpose-built ships to that route.
Foot passengers can travel on the Liverpool - Belfast and Liverpool - Dublin routes, but the cross-Channel passenger service is dedicated exclusively to the motoring passenger, and with no coach parties or foot passengers.
History
The company started life as Norfolk Lijn N.V. in 1961, and started running ferries in 1969. In 1973 Unilever acquired it and renamed it Norfolk Line because it operated out of Great Yarmouth. Subsequently it switched to Felixtowe, but retained the name. 4 new vessels were added in 1996, a container transport route (Rotterdam-Waterford) in 1997, and a refrigerated transport division in Belfast in 1998. At this time the company became Norfolkline.
A second refrigerated transport operation in Larkhall was added in 1999, and a new ferry route between Dover and Dunkerque in 2000. Norfolkline was chosen as logistics provider for Millennium Chemicals EU in 2001, the UK-Italy rail service was added in 2004, and Norsemerchant acquired in 2005, creating the Irish Sea ferry service. In 2006, new routes from Vlaardingen to the UK were opened.
Recent years have seen significant investment in a new fleet, the highlight of which was the launch of their award winning vessels on the Dover-Dunkerque route in 2005/2006, and with their acquisition of Norse Merchant Ferries they operate an Irish Sea passenger ferry fleet of 4 vessels.