Spar Shipping

What Spar Shipping does

Spar Shipping ApS is a privately held Danish maritime experience company founded in 1991 and headquartered at Kvæsthusgade 6, Copenhagen, with operational presence in the iconic Nyhavn harbor. The company operates a fleet of six vessels — M/S Bjørnsholm (170 passengers), M/S Langø (136), M/S Skipper (73), M/S Øby (68), M/S Fyrholm (36), and M/S Arresø (33) — all approved by the Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen). Its core business comprises scheduled ferry services to two island destinations in the Øresund (Ungdomsøen/Middelgrundsfortet and Flakfortet), with sailing times of 35 and 55 minutes respectively, plus a summer-only island-hopping ("Ø-hop") combined ticket running June 27 to August 9.

The company's revenue model is multi-stream and unit-priced in Danish Krone. Ferry tickets range from 70-240 DKK depending on route, time of day, and passenger category (adult/youth/child). Charter services for events, corporate functions, weddings, and parties start at 8,000 DKK/hour for the flagship M/S Bjørnsholm with a 2-hour minimum. Ancillary revenue is generated through onboard catering (tapas at 295 DKK/person, smørrebrød at 75 DKK/piece), ferry bar sales (beer 30 DKK, house wine 50 DKK/glass), recreational fishing trips with full-day menus, ceremonial ash scattering at sea, and electronic gift cards (minimum 100 DKK, 2-year validity). Charter sailing is VAT-exempt. Sales are distributed through a self-service online booking platform (booking.sparshipping.dk), direct phone/email sales, and physical ticket sales at the Nyhavn departure point, with marketing primarily through the company website, Instagram, and Facebook.

The company is solely owned by Keld Øby Jensen, who co-founded it in 1991 with Finn Lyng Madsen as an overlay to two existing shipping companies (Øby and Langø). Today the company employs 20 people and serves five primary customer segments: corporate/business groups (charter events), private individuals and families (celebrations), tourists and day visitors (ferry tickets), recreational fishermen, and bereaved families (ash scattering). No external funding, institutional investors, or public listing is disclosed.

Name

Spar Shipping

Legal name

Spar Shipping Aps.

Website

https://sparshipping.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Spar Shipping is a Copenhagen-based, owner-operated maritime company that runs scheduled ferries to Ungdomsøen and Flakfortet islands and charters a six-vessel fleet for corporate events, private celebrations, fishing trips, and ash-scattering ceremonies in the Øresund.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Passenger Ferry and Charter Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Leisure Passenger Shipping Charters (Ferry/Excursion Vessels) (THAEAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shore Excursion & Port Services Operators (THAKAEAE), Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF)

Keywords

• Passenger ferry services
• Vessel charter services
• Maritime event hosting
• Recreational fishing trips
• Sea burial ceremonies

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Ferry Ticket Sales: One-time ticket sales for ferry routes to Ungdomsøen and Flakfortet. Revenue per passenger based on route, time of day (day/evening), and passenger category (adult/child/youth).
2. Charter Vessel Rental: Companies and groups rent ships with crew for events, parties, conferences, and tours. Hourly pricing with minimum booking requirements. Includes catering and hospitality services.
3. Gift Cards: Prepaid gift cards sold for experiences at sea. Customers purchase gift cards with selected value (minimum 100 DKK) that recipients redeem for bookings.
4. Sports Fishing Trips: Charter fishing excursions in Øresund with equipment rental, catering, and guided fishing services. Additional revenue from food packages and beverages.
5. Food and Beverage: Onboard catering including breakfast, lunchbuffets, tapas, smørrebrød, drinks, and snacks. Sold as add-on to ferry tickets and charter services.
6. Ash Scattering Services: Ceremonial ash spreading at sea for funeral services. Custom arrangements with documentation and ceremony services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Spar Shipping operates scheduled passenger ferry services from Nyhavn in Copenhagen to the islands of Ungdomsøen and Flakfortet, alongside charter vessel rentals (with crew) for corporate events, private celebrations, conferences, weddings, and themed parties. The company also offers recreational fishing trips in the Øresund, ceremonial ash scattering at sea, gift cards, and onboard catering and bar services.

Product overview

Spar Shipping operates a fleet-based maritime experience business centered around passenger ferry services and chartered vessel rentals. The core offering consists of scheduled ferry routes to Ungdomsøen and Flakfortet (Ø-hop island hopping), supplemented by charter services for events, corporate functions, weddings, and recreational fishing trips. The fleet includes six named vessels—M/S Bjørnsholm, M/S Langø, M/S Fyrholm, M/S Arresø, M/S Skipper, and M/S Øby—each with varying passenger capacities. Additional services include ash scattering ceremonies, catering provisions (Forplejning til Søs), gift cards, and an online booking system. The company was founded in 1991 and is based in Copenhagen's Nyhavn district.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Local organizers and suppliersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpar Shipping partners with local organizers and suppliers for excursions and arrangements. These partnerships provide catering, activities, and event coordination services that complement the core sailing experience.
• FlakfortetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlakfortet is a key destination served by Spar Shipping ferries. The fort offers restaurants, activities, team building, and conference facilities. Spar Shipping provides regular ferry service to the island, which is essential for visitor access.
• Ungdomsøen (Middelgrundsfortet)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUngdomsøen (Youth Island / Middelgrundsfortet) is a major destination served by Spar Shipping ferries. Owned by the scout movement since 2015, the island offers activities, conferences, and historical experiences. Spar Shipping provides ferry access as the primary transportation link.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Stena Line: International ferry operator with North Sea routes; broad incumbent in the passenger ferry space that competes for the same Danish/Scandinavian leisure-travel demand pool as Spar Shipping's ferry and excursion services.
• Scandlines: Large ferry operator on routes between Denmark, Germany, and Sweden — same Danish passenger ferry category as Spar Shipping but operating high-frequency international ropax routes with much larger vessels.
• DFDS: Major European ferry and logistics operator with significant Danish/North Sea passenger routes. Overlaps with Spar Shipping's ferry/passenger transportation business but at vastly larger scale and with international route networks.
• Stromma: Large Scandinavian sightseeing and canal-tour operator (including Canal Tours Copenhagen). Same experiential water-based tourism space in Copenhagen, but at significantly larger scale and with broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• DDS (Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab): Operator of the Helsingør-Helsingborg small passenger ferry across Øresund — same Danish waters, similar small-fleet scheduled passenger service model, comparable regulatory exposure to Søfartsstyrelsen.
• Rib Boat Copenhagen: Copenhagen-based RIB (rigid inflatable boat) sightseeing and experience operator — competing for the same harbor/Øresund sightseeing and small-group charter customers that Spar Shipping serves.
• GoBoat Copenhagen: Self-drive electric boat rental on Copenhagen's canals and harbor — overlapping customer base (tourists, locals, small groups seeking water experiences) and competitive overlap with Spar Shipping's small-charter offerings.

Emerging players

• Rent a Boat Copenhagen / Small charter operators: Smaller, niche water-based experience and boat rental providers in Copenhagen harbor — partial overlap with Spar Shipping's charter and sightseeing offerings, but with limited fleet and focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SparShipping
• Instagraminstagram.com/sparshipping
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spar-shipping

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spar Shipping