Bavaria’s Minister-President visits Helgoland: Markus Söder travels to the high seas island aboard the HSC 'Halunder Jet'.

Hamburg / Helgoland, 21.08.2025 – “We are honored to welcome Dr. Markus Söder and his delegation on board our high-speed catamaran ‘Halunder Jet’ on their way to Helgoland,” says Tim Kunstmann, Managing Director of FRS Helgoline. “As a shipping company, we have been aware of Helgoland’s beauty for many years and are delighted to accompany the Minister-President on his journey to this unique island.” 

Together with a delegation, Dr. Markus Söder is following an invitation from Helgoland’s Mayor, Thorsten Pollmann, and Tourism Director Katharina Schlicht. The invitation to the island, which belongs to Schleswig-Holstein, was extended in response to a humorous remark by Bavaria’s Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder that Sylt and Helgoland would long since be Bavarian if it were up to the fiscal equalization scheme. Helgoland’s Mayor Thorsten Pollmann and Tourism Director Katharina Schlicht are confident: the high seas island remains a proud part of Schleswig-Holstein and the Pinneberg district. “He can now see for himself our beautiful island as well as the diverse traditions that are closely tied to Schleswig-Holstein, the land between the seas,” says Katharina Schlicht, Tourism Director of Helgoland. 

Extra-long island stay due to adjusted departure times

For organizational reasons, the schedule of the high-speed catamaran will be adjusted on August 26 and 27, 2025. An overview of the schedule for both days can be found at frs-helgoline.de/aktuelle-fahrplaninformation. Day visitors will benefit on August 26 from a particularly long stay: nearly nine hours are available to thoroughly discover Helgoland. This leaves plenty of time for walks on the main island, a visit to the Dune, duty-free shopping, and enjoying the island’s culinary offerings. 

Tickets and information 

Travel with FRS Helgoline is possible from Hamburg or Cuxhaven. Thanks to the extra-long island stay, guests can enjoy the highlights of the island. 

More information can be found at frs-helgoline.de/extra-lang-helgoland. Tickets are available online at frs-helgoline.de, by phone at 0461 864 44, by email at [email protected], or at all FRS Helgoline ticket counters.

About the HSC “Halunder Jet”

Built in 2018, the high-speed catamaran “Halunder Jet” takes vacationers and day visitors to Helgoland annually from March to November. It offers space for up to 680 passengers across four seating categories on two decks, as well as 228 sqm of open deck space. During the crossing at a top speed of 36 knots, passengers can enjoy panoramic views and be treated by our on-board catering service at their seat. An infotainment program including a 3D sound system rounds off the onboard experience. 

About Flensburg-based FRS 

Over the past 150+ years, the FRS shipping group, headquartered in Flensburg, has grown from a regional passenger shipping company into an international corporate group with more than 1,500 employees. FRS operates around 70 vessels worldwide. Today, the North Germany-based FRS Group’s portfolio includes 14 subsidiaries active in Europe, North America, and the Caribbean. 

In Northern Germany, FRS is one of the key players in inland shipping. The Elbe ferry Glückstadt–Wischhafen, one of the region’s most important infrastructure ferry routes, connects Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony year-round with four car ferries running every 30 minutes. In addition, FRS has extensive expertise in inland shipping with the “Weiße Flotte” in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, offering trips around Rügen and Rostock. Since January 2025, two ferry routes on the Middle Rhine have strengthened the FRS Group. Furthermore, FRS operates various solar-electric ferries in Berlin and, with the “Hydrocat 55,” runs the world’s first dual-fuel hydrogen CTV in the offshore wind sector. The wide range and international presence of the FRS Group underline its importance as a leading provider of ferry connections worldwide. 

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Press contact: 

FRS Helgoline GmbH & Co. KG
Norderhofenden 19-20
24937 Flensburg

Tim Kunstmann
Email: [email protected]