Together with its subsidiaries, the Tor Line operated a fleet of approximately 65 ro-ro, ro-pax and lo-lo ships, primarily on the North and Baltic Seas.

The new Tor Line (an abbreviation of Trans Oil and Rex) ordered the construction of two state-of-the-art ferries from Lübecker Flender-Werke in West Germany.

[5][7] Meanwhile, Bratt-Götha and the Dutch KNSM (Koninklijke Nederlandsche Stoomboot-Maatschappij) joined as shareholders (25% each).

The new ships were arguably the finest ferries of the time, and served as the final blow to the ESL service.

Ellerman's Wilson Line and Rederi AB Svea had already dropped out of the joint service previously, and in 1977 Swedish Lloyd also ceased their passenger operations.

[9] To improve their financial position Tor line sought out partnerships with other shipping companies.

In 1979 MS Espresso Olbia (the former Tor Anglia) was chartered for a planned joint Gothenburg—Kristiansand—Newcastle with Fred.

Instead of buying just one ship DFDS purchased the entire Tor Line passenger division in late 1981.

[4] In 1980, around the same time as the establishment of joint passenger services with Sessan Line, Tor Line established a joint freight service with their former competitors Swedish Lloyd, marketed as Tor Lloyd.