A combination of cold weather, sharply rising fuel prices, a surge in electric vehicles, an early Easter, and a robust market position helped drive the impressive results, the company said.

“We have been slightly ahead of expectations at the start of the year, with bad weather sending many travellers onto the ferries – particularly owners of cold-affected electric cars, which filled up the vehicle decks nicely,” explained Lucas Kragh, Molslinjen’s commercial director.

Traffic accelerated sharply in March, which saw a 14 per cent improvement on the same month last year. Electric vehicles accounted for a remarkable 35 per cent of all cars on board.

“An early Easter has certainly helped the figures, but we can see that our marketing of Molslinjen as ‘the smart route’ has been very effective and clearly contributed to the excellent quarterly result,” Mr Kragh added. “We have been gaining market share every month, and particularly in March, against the Storebælt bridge.”

Molslinjen’s bus operation, Kombardo Expressen, also played a part in the positive outcome. The buses have benefited from disruption caused by the redevelopment of Aarhus railway station, prompting many train passengers to switch to coach services.

Molslinjen is Denmark’s largest domestic ferry company, operating a fleet of 19 vessels across multiple routes linking Denmark with Sweden and Germany. Its high-speed catamarans on the Kattegat and Bornholm services rank among the world’s largest of their kind. The company employs more than 1,800 staff and carries over 15 million passengers annually.

The latest figures come as fuel prices have risen sharply, making the fixed link across the Storebælt less attractive for some motorists and boosting demand for the sea alternative.

Molslinjen said the strong start to 2026 underlines its competitive position in the Danish transport market.

© Shippax