 | |
| Company type | Aktieselskab |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | 2006[1] |
| Headquarters | Nuuk,Greenland |
Area served | Greenland |
| Products | Coastal trade and passenger ferry |
 DKK 8.1 million(2011) | |
Number of employees | 43[2] |
| Parent | Royal Arctic Line (100%) |
| Website | www |
Arctic Umiaq Line A/S (AUL) orArctic Umiaq is apassenger andfreight shipping line inGreenland.[3] Its name derives from theKalaallisut word for the traditionalInuit passenger boat, theumiak, distinguished from thekayak, used for hunting. The sea connection provided by Arctic Umiaq provides supplies and communication to the entirety of western and southwestern Greenland.[4] It is a wholly owned subsidiary of theRoyal Arctic Line.[5]
Arctic Umiaq Line was founded in 2006.[1] Like manyGreenlandic companies, it can trace its operations to former divisions of theRoyal Greenland Trade Department[6] before its 1986 handover to theGreenland Home Rule Government.
Since 2007, Arctic Umiaq Line has been operating at a deficit,[7] with the CEO Søren Grønhøj Andersen sued for mismanagement.[8] The company carried fewer passengers for the first nine months of 2009 than in the comparable period of the previous year.[9]
TheGreenland Home Rule Government has continued to provide loss guarantees to the joint owners. In fiscal 2011, this amounted toDKK 8.1 million, and Royal Arctic Line announced that loss guarantees have been secured through 2016.[1]
Ownership in The Arctic Umiaq Line was shared equally betweenAir Greenland and Royal Arctic Line until 2016. In 2016, Air Greenland sold its 50% stake in the company to Royal Arctic Line, and since July 1, 2016 the Arctic Umiaq Line has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Arctic Line.[10]
The ferry service operates from late April until early January.[11] As of 2020[update], Arctic Umiaq Line employs 43 people,[2] operating one ship on theIlulissat-Narsaq route along the coast of western and southwestern Greenland.
TheSarfaq Ittuk stops in the following towns on its coastal journey, with the approximate times for a southbound journey listed for illustration:[12]
| Name | Latitude N | Elapsed time (hours) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilulissat | 69°13′12″ | 0 | |
| Aasiaat | 68°42′35″ | 04.30 | |
| Sisimiut | 66°56′20″ | 16.00 | |
| Kangaamiut | 65°49′30″ | 24.30 | |
| Maniitsoq | 65°25′00″ | 28.30 | |
| Nuuk | 64°10′00″ | 37.30 | The longest, 2-hour stop |
| Qeqertarsuatsiaat | 63°05′20″ | 47.30 | |
| Paamiut | 61°59′40″ | 54.30 | |
| Arsuk | 61°10′30″ | 61.15 | |
| Qaqortoq | 60°43′20″ | 70.00 | The ship turns northeast at Qaqortoq, sailing to Narsaq viaTunulliarfik Fjord |
| Narsaq | 60°54′44″ | 73.00 | Summer only |
Until 2008, the service had been extended toNarsarsuaq during summer.[13]: 102
The only ship in operation is M/SSarfaq Ittuk (IMO 8913899).[14] Built in 1992,[14] it was subsequently renovated and upgraded in 2000 in theGdańsk Shipyard inGdańsk,Poland.[15]
The ship has a 249-passenger capacity, with 52 2-bed cabins, and 145[15] communal (compartment or couchette) rollout beds on the two lower decks.[15]
It has a length (overall) of 72.8 m, a Gross tonnage of 2118 t, and freight capacity (Deadweight) of 163 t.
M/SSarpik Ittuk – which serviced theUpernavik Archipelago, theUummannaq Fjord region, andDisko Bay[13]: 198–199 – was sold in 2006 to Nova Cruising, a company from theBahamas.[16]
As of 2010 Disko Bay is served byDiskoline on the governmental contract, whereas transport services betweenUpernavik Archipelago and theUummannaq Fjord region are provided by infrequent cargo/ferry ships of Royal Arctic Line.[17]
