 In 1968, George Nott Industries purchased the Otto Thoresen Shipping Company and its subsidiary Thoresen Car Ferries Ltd. As a result of this acquisition it changed its name to European Ferries Ltd.In 1971 the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company Ltd (trading as Transport Ferry Service) was acquired from the National Freight Corporation.All three of the companies under European Ferries used the name Townsend Thoresen to market their ferry services.