Smyril Line Cargo employs its advantageous roll-on/roll-off system to attract increasing numbers of shipping customers in a highly competitive North Atlantic transport market.


Ask a Faroe Islander to name msomething that represents a sense of national pride, and among the top ten contenders you are likely to hear the superferry Norröna mentioned. In a very real sense, Smyril Line’s passenger and cargo ship is identified as the Faroese transport sector’s flagship object.

While for tourists it has become one of the most popular ways of travelling in the North Atlantic region, traders are likewise turning to the Norröna, placing incoming and outgoing shipments with Smyril Line’s Cargo division.
Jostling with Icelandic contenders in the highly competitive Faroese transport market, Smyril Line Cargo is, in effect, carving out its own niche as the fastest and safest sea transport operator in the region. As such, the real reason for Cargo’s confidence could well be found in its consistent use of roll-on/roll-off logistics.

“As a ro/ro vessel, Norröna has a very clear advantage,” said Heðin Joensen, managing director of Smyril Line Cargo. “The ro/ro capacity often provides the fastest, safest and most convenient means of sea transportation,” he added, emphasising the benefits of using trucks and trailers.

“At first glance, we may not look like the cheapest alternative in the market but then again our freight transport system makes for very happy clients. After all, when time is of the essence you don’t want your cargo waiting too long in line because of some logistical processing system; in the same way, you want your cargo shielded from shocks and bumps caused by tilting or shaking. This is where we are known to make a difference.”
Mr Joensen pointed out that trailers used by Smyril Line Cargo are all pallet wide, which adds quality to the transport process.

“There are many possible elements to which your goods can be exposed in one way or another. Potential sources of disruption are not confined to loading and unloading alone; the least possible disturbance, the lower the risk of damage, and this is in particular true of goods such as food, including fresh or frozen fish and seafoods. While the volume of our 45 feet reefers is up to 35 percent larger than that of containers, they also have the perfect pallet width; this makes for efficient use of load space and, more important, it prevents cargo from sliding during transport. It all adds up to the fact that our ro/ro system with dedicated reefer trucks is really an unbeatable method because what you get is a sealed and stable line of freight transport going straight to the destination.”


A global network: With construction of the new Norröna completed in 2003, Smyril Line has claimed a unique position among those offering transportation for passengers, cars and freight in the North Atlantic region. Since commencing business more than 20 years ago, the company has operated both freight transport and passenger service. Dedicated to interconnecting the northern Atlantic countries, Smyril Line has grown to become the largest tour operator in the Faroe Islands.

With scheduled routes connecting the Faroe Islands, Shetland Islands, Iceland, Denmark and Norway, the Norröna has the capacity for 1,482 passengers and 800 cars. The 164-meter long and 30-meter wide superferry has a gross tonnage of 36,000. Equipped with all modern facilities, stabilized and air-conditioned, she operates at a service speed of 21 knots. In order to optimize utilisation of Norröna’s ro/ro capacity, close co-operation with Blue Water Shipping, an international shipping, transport and freight forwarding company has  been established, enabling Smyril Line Cargo to offer a large fleet of modern reefer trucks and a world-wide transportation network.

With offices in place in Tórshavn (Faroes), Lerwick (Shetland), Reykjavík (Iceland), Hanstholm (Denmark) and Bergen (Norway), Smyril Line Cargo is poised for extensive growth in the years ahead, according to Mr Joensen.

“The way this market is moving looks favorable for our position and within the next years, we expect to be serving a fast growing customer base,” Mr Joensen noted.

Link to company profile