By
Rebecca Gibson |
Serco and its Swedish joint venture partner Strömma Tourism & Maritime has begun operating four Djurgården ferries on behalf of Stockholm County Council and public ferry company Waxholms Ångfartygs.
Effective from 17 April 2014, the eight-year contract was secured in October 2013 and will see the two companies operating locally under the new name Djurgården Ferry Traffic Company.
Management responsibilities will be split equally between Serco and Strömma. The partnership will draw on Serco’s experience of land and sea public transport operations and ship maintenance with Strömma’s experience of delivering leisure and tourism services throughout Scandinavia, as well as its knowledge of operating in local waters. Together the companies will work to improve logistics and passenger services.
“We look forward to delivering significant enhancements for passengers by improving logistics, reducing ferry waiting times and making provisions for cyclists to take their bikes onboard the ferries,” said Jan Larsén, CEO of Strömma Turism & Sjöfart.
The four Djurgården ferries, which carry more than two million passengers every year, serve on the routes to Slussen, Djurgården and Skeppsholmen in Stockholm.
“Together with our partner Strömma, we plan to make a number of improvements to the passenger experience and provide an excellent standard of service for both residents and tourists alike,” said David Stretch, Serco’s managing director for transport services.