Holland Norge Lines, which provides ferry services to Norway, has applied to defer payment. The company’s only ship that has been active since 2022 is not sailing at the moment. Deferred payment is often, but not always, a precursor to bankruptcy.
KLM Norwegian says it ran into financial problems after the company was forced to leave Eemshaven in the province of Groningen at the beginning of this year. The ferry service would then build its own pier at Eemshaven, but this turned out to be too expensive. As a result, it regularly happened that the ferry service could not dock anywhere, resulting in last-minute flight cancellations.
The company then decided to leave ferry services from Germany. Initially the ferry sailed from Cuxhaven to Norway, and later became Emden, just across the border. Existing bookings were subsequently canceled en masse, and far fewer bookings were made in the following period. Norwegian Netherlands now says it needs more time to recover from early 2023 losses.
“It is very unfortunate, because KLM has given a good boost to Groningen,” Groningen MP Henk Emens said when asked. “All these Norwegians who come here, this is good for our tourism sector. It is very unfortunate to lose this beautiful masterpiece. We have always had good discussions with the company.”
Uncertainty
As all tours are halted immediately, travelers face many uncertainties. Norwegian Netherlands recommends passengers already in Emden for sailing to find a hotel or book an alternative flight.
It is also uncertain whether customers who have already booked a ticket will receive a refund. “Also check your insurance,” Hollande Norwegian wrote. Ticket costs on Holland Norwegian can easily reach hundreds of euros.
KLM Norwegian was founded in 2020. On 7 April 2022, the first cruise took place from Eemshavn to Norway. Since starting sailings to Norway, Holland Norge Lines has transported nearly 400,000 people on its cruise ferry MS Romantika. The company has approximately 400 employees.
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