Sweden secures rail ferry link for NATO mobility

Stena Line has signed an agreement with the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) securing the continuation of rail ferry services between Sweden and Germany until 31 December 2031.

The agreement, described as the first of its kind, guarantees the future of the Trelleborg-Rostock rail ferry route, preserving Sweden’s only regular rail ferry connection and a transport link with growing strategic significance.

In a LinkedIn post, Sweden’s Minister for Infrastructure, Andreas Carlson, said the service strengthens resilience and provides transport capacity that supports NATO military mobility requirements.

- The Öresund Bridge is an invaluable link between Sweden and continental Europe, but resilient transport systems require alternative routes and redundancy, Carlson wrote. 

- At the same time, freight traffic has increasingly shifted to the fixed link, placing pressure on the commercial viability of rail ferry operations. As a result, the service risked discontinuation on purely commercial grounds.

The agreement was signed at the Port of Trelleborg by Elisabeth Lönne, Chief Commercial Officer at Stena Line, and Roberto Maiorana, Director-General of the Swedish Transport Administration.

- We view our role in the transport system, and particularly the vital rail connection to continental Europe provided by our ferries, with both pride and a strong sense of responsibility, Lönne said.

Stena Line has operated the Trelleborg-Rostock route using the rail ferries Skåne and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern since 1998. Rail ferry services have become increasingly rare globally, making the route a distinctive element of Sweden’s transport network.

Against a worsening European security backdrop, transport infrastructure is playing an increasingly important role in defence planning and logistics. 

Maintaining the rail ferry service supports military mobility for both the Swedish Armed Forces and NATO, while helping to ensure Sweden can provide and receive Host Nation Support when required.