Torghatten Sør
Norwegian ferry and express passenger service operator.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Torghatten Sør AS is a Norwegian shipping and ferry-transport company formerly known as Bastø Fosen AS. It operates passenger and vehicle ferry services in southeastern Norway, most notably the Moss–Horten route across the Oslofjord and the Svelvik–Verket route. The Moss–Horten crossing links the cities of Moss in Østfold and Horten in Vestfold and is described as Norway’s most heavily trafficked ferry route. The crossing takes approximately 30 minutes, with frequent departures during the day and reduced service patterns at weekends. The company was established as a subsidiary of Fosen Trafikklag and received its first operating concession for the Moss–Horten service in 1995. It took over after the previous operator, Gokstad, was not considered to have offered authorities equally favorable terms. During its first two years, the service was operated with two leased vessels. The company subsequently expanded and renewed its fleet as its concession arrangements developed. In 2003, Bastø Fosen secured a further concession extending operations through 2015 after the Norwegian Public Roads Administration rejected a competing proposal from Stavangerske. The route was notable because it operated without a state operating subsidy, making concession terms, fleet utilization, and passenger and vehicle volumes especially important to the operator’s economics. The company used the extended concession as collateral for ordering the new ferry Bastø III. The operator’s fleet historically included Bastø I, Bastø II, and Bastø III, followed by larger vessels Bastø IV, Bastø V, and Bastø VI. The earlier vessels were designed to carry both road vehicles and passengers, reflecting the route’s role as a practical Oslofjord transport link rather than a purely passenger-oriented ferry. In 2006, the company carried approximately 1.3 million cars and 2.5 million passengers, according to the cited Wikipedia account. Bastø Fosen later continued as a subsidiary of FosenNamsos Sjø after Fosen Trafikklag merged into that company. Ownership subsequently passed to the Torghatten group when Torghatten acquired FosenNamsos Sjø. During a later corporate reorganization, Bastø Fosen was renamed Torghatten Sør. The Bastø name remains strongly associated with the ferry service and its vessels, while Torghatten Sør is the corporate name used in the canonical Wikipedia subject. The company’s business is concentrated in Norwegian domestic ferry transport, with no evidence in the supplied references of substantial international operations or a public stock-market listing.
History
Torghatten Sør traces its operating history to 1995, when it was established as a subsidiary of Fosen Trafikklag and received a concession to operate the Moss–Horten ferry route. The concession followed a competitive process in which the authorities determined that the existing operator, Gokstad, had not offered as favorable a proposal. For the first two years, the newly established operator used two leased ferries while it established its own operating arrangements. The Moss–Horten service became the company’s principal business. It provides a short crossing between the eastern and western sides of the outer Oslofjord and serves both private travelers and road traffic. The route is characterized by a high frequency of departures, with the cited reference describing two departures per hour in each direction during much of the day. Unlike many subsidized regional ferry services, the route was identified as the only one in Norway operating without an operating subsidy, increasing the importance of traffic volumes and concession management. In 1997, the company introduced Bastø I and Bastø II. The nearly identical ferries were built at Fosen Mekaniske Verksted and were configured for combined passenger and vehicle traffic. Each vessel was approximately 109 meters long and 18 meters wide, with capacity for around 200 cars and 550 passengers. Their arrival supported the company’s assumption of the Moss–Horten operation and provided vessels designed specifically for the route’s traffic profile. Bastø Fosen received a new concession in 2003 covering operations through 2015. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration rejected a competing offer from Stavangerske, allowing Bastø Fosen to continue. The company used the concession extension as security for ordering Bastø III, which was delivered in February 2005. Built at Remontowa Yard in Gdańsk, Bastø III could carry approximately 212 cars and 540 passengers, adding capacity during the second concession period. By 2006, the operator was reported to have carried approximately 1.3 million cars and 2.5 million passengers. These figures illustrate the route’s national importance and the scale of the company’s principal activity. In 2008, Bastø Fosen expressed interest in increasing the fleet to four vessels. At the same time, public authorities were examining a possible fixed connection under the fjord. A proposed tunnel was estimated in the cited material at roughly NOK 5 billion, compared with an estimated NOK 15 billion for a bridge; a tunnel would have required toll-road financing. These plans represented a potential long-term alternative to the ferry service but did not immediately replace it. Fosen Trafikklag later merged to form FosenNamsos Sjø, and Bastø Fosen continued within the new corporate structure. Torghatten subsequently acquired FosenNamsos Sjø, transferring ownership of the ferry operation into the Torghatten group. During a corporate reorganization, Bastø Fosen AS was renamed Torghatten Sør AS. The company’s historical fleet was expanded with larger Bastø IV, Bastø V, and Bastø VI vessels ordered in 2014 and completed between 2016 and 2017. Bastø VI arrived in December 2016, Bastø IV later that month, and Bastø V in April 2017. The canonical subject is therefore Torghatten Sør rather than the better-known Bastø name alone. Bastø Fosen is the former corporate identity and remains an important service and fleet designation. The company’s documented business scope is Norwegian ferry transport, principally the Moss–Horten and Svelvik–Verket crossings.
- 2017
Bastø V arrives
[1]Bastø V arrived in April, completing the documented three-vessel expansion.
- 2016
Bastø IV and Bastø VI arrive
[1]Bastø VI arrived on December 10 and Bastø IV on December 23 as part of the fleet renewal program.
- 2014
Larger ferry order
[1]Three larger vessels, later named Bastø IV, Bastø V, and Bastø VI, were ordered.
- 2006
Traffic volume reported
[1]The operator was reported to have carried approximately 1.3 million cars and 2.5 million passengers during the year.
- 2005
Bastø III delivered
[1]Bastø III entered the fleet with capacity for approximately 212 cars and 540 passengers.
- 2003
Concession extended through 2015
[1]Bastø Fosen secured a new operating concession after the Public Roads Administration rejected a competing proposal from Stavangerske.
- 1997
Bastø I and Bastø II enter service
[1]Two purpose-built ferries were delivered for the route, each configured for approximately 200 cars and 550 passengers.
- 1995
Moss–Horten concession begins
[1]Bastø Fosen was established as a Fosen Trafikklag subsidiary and received the concession to operate the Moss–Horten ferry route.
Corporate name changes to Torghatten Sør
[1]Following the formation of FosenNamsos Sjø and its later acquisition by Torghatten, Bastø Fosen was renamed Torghatten Sør during a corporate reorganization.
Products and positioning
A high-frequency Norwegian domestic ferry operator focused on reliable crossings for cars, commercial vehicles, and passengers, with its identity historically centered on the Bastø service across the Oslofjord.
Vehicle and passenger ferry service · 1995
Moss–Horten Ferry
The company’s principal service is the Moss–Horten crossing across the Oslofjord. It carries private passengers, cars, and other road vehicles between Moss and Horten on a scheduled basis. The crossing takes about 30 minutes, and the cited reference describes frequent daytime departures in both directions, making the service an important domestic transport link rather than a seasonal excursion operation.
Vehicle and passenger ferry service
Svelvik–Verket Ferry
Torghatten Sør also operates the Svelvik–Verket ferry route in Norway. The service forms part of the company’s domestic short-distance maritime transport portfolio and complements the larger Moss–Horten operation. Detailed schedules, vessel assignments, and current traffic figures are not specified in the supplied reference material.
Ferry fleet · 1997
Bastø fleet
The documented fleet includes Bastø I, Bastø II, Bastø III, Bastø IV, Bastø V, and Bastø VI. Bastø I and II were delivered in 1997, Bastø III in 2005, and the larger IV–VI vessels were ordered in 2014 and completed between 2016 and 2017. The vessels are designed to combine passenger accommodation with substantial vehicle capacity.
Brand decisions
2014
Order three larger ferriesProduct launchBackground
Bastø Fosen considered increasing capacity on its ferry network, including the high-volume Moss–Horten crossing.
Action taken
The company ordered three larger vessels that became Bastø IV, Bastø V, and Bastø VI.
Aftermath
The vessels were completed and delivered between December 2016 and April 2017, expanding and renewing the documented fleet.
2005
Introduce Bastø IIIProduct launchBackground
The company needed additional and modernized capacity for the renewed concession period on the heavily trafficked Moss–Horten route.
Action taken
Bastø Fosen took delivery of Bastø III, a ferry built at Remontowa Yard in Gdańsk with capacity for approximately 212 cars and 540 passengers.
Aftermath
The new vessel increased the fleet’s vehicle capacity and supported the operator’s continued service on the route.
2003
Secure the second Moss–Horten concessionStrategyBackground
The company faced a competing proposal from Stavangerske for the Moss–Horten ferry operation.
Action taken
Bastø Fosen retained the route after the Norwegian Public Roads Administration rejected the competing offer and awarded a concession extending operations through 2015.
Aftermath
The extended concession enabled the company to use the operating rights as collateral for ordering Bastø III and supporting continued fleet investment.
- Rename Bastø Fosen as Torghatten SørOther
Background
After Fosen Trafikklag became part of FosenNamsos Sjø and Torghatten later acquired FosenNamsos Sjø, the ferry business underwent corporate reorganization.
Action taken
The company changed its corporate name from Bastø Fosen AS to Torghatten Sør AS.
Aftermath
Torghatten Sør became the canonical corporate identity, while Bastø remained associated with the routes and ferry fleet.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/torghatten-sør · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled