Color Line experienced good demand on all its routes in the period from Norway and the destination countries reopened during September until the introduction of new infection control measures in December.

- We wanted for the longest time to avoid this decision that affects our employees just before the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, we have no opportunity to maintain a sustainable passenger service between Norway and Germany after the government introduced new and strict corona measures. The decision to take COLOR MAGIC and COLOR FANTASY out of operation temporarily unfortunately entails notice of redundancy to more than 700 employees, said Color Line’ CEO Trond Kleivdal.

During the same period, Color Line will increase the frequency of the transport vessel COLOR CARRIER to three weekly round trips on the route between Oslo and Kiel, so that the shipping company maintains the important offer to its freight customers.

Color Line's activities are strongly affected by the government's infection control measures, such as the reintroduction of distance requirements, bar drinking and other contact-limiting measures. This is in addition to the requirements for registration and testing of all arrivals to Norway.

- Through the government's tightening, we have in practice been shut down in the middle of the important Christmas season. The government's proposal for compensation and support schemes does not cover large employers, and the proposal for wage support lacks predictability and does not have a suitable structure, partly due to the requirement that you can not have anyone laid off if you are to receive wage support. After almost two years in the front line of the pandemic, we unfortunately have to once again reduce production and give redundancy notice to a large number of our employees, says Kleivdal.

The shipping company has already temporarily taken COLOR VIKING out of operation on the Sandefjord-Strømstad route, which has resulted in notice of redundancy of just under 100 employees. On this route, the offer has therefore been reduced to two daily round trips with COLOR HYBRID. Color Line continues its current offer on the routes to Hirtshals from Kristiansand and Larvik, with SUPERSPEED 1 and SUPERSPEED 2.