Norwegian ropax owner Fjord Line is cutting more jobs and changing its chief executive as it tries to cope with a drop in volumes caused by the pandemic.
The board and CEO Rickard Ternblom have agreed he will leave the company immediately, to be replaced by Arne Roland.
Roland, who has been chief executive of industrial group OPD, has also previously worked at Kjell Inge Rokke's Aker group.
"New times require new leadership forces. The pandemic has had dramatic consequences for the entire tourism industry," chairman Peter Frolich said.
"As good leaders and owners, we must not only handle the crisis, we must also work to emerge stronger from it."
Another 140 jobs are also being axed, making a total of 300 redundancies since August.
"To ensure Fjord Line comes out of the crisis as a strong company, the company has had to impose new measures which do include a new round of job cuts," Frolich added.
"The management has now conducted a good dialogue with trade unions and shop stewards."
Parting as friends
Ternblom has led the company since 2015.
"It has been a privilege to be part of the development of Fjord Line, and especially to collaborate with the employees who go to work every day with drive, responsibility, respect and commitment," he said.
"We part as friends and I wish the company all the best for the years to come."
Very few passengers are using Fjord Line's vessels to Denmark and Sweden, the company admitted.
It had warned in September it would need to cut costs further.
Fjord Line has already raised NOK 700m ($78m) through state grants and refinancing to ensure it can keep operating this year.
