14 departures on Monday have been cancelled as a result of the issues, a spokesperson said.

Windy weather was given as an additional reason for the cancellations.

“We have simply been hit by two problems at once. One is that we have a ramp which will not raise under its own power and is thereby blocking a loading bearing at Odden [Sjællands Odde, ed.],” Molslinjen head of public relations Jesper Maack told news wire Ritzau.

“The other bearing is so affected by wind today that we cannot use it, so we must take the unusual step of cancelling voyages,” he said.

One of the two ramps used for driving vehicles on to the ferries at the Sjællands Odde port can only be used in calmer weather, Ritzau writes. The ferry operator must therefor wait for the wind to die down.

Monday was not expected to have exceptionally heavy traffic on the ferries but a “few hundred” passengers are likely to see journeys affected, according to Molslinjen.

“It is naturally very regrettable that we have met with such big problems that we can’t even offer (passengers) a departure,” Maack said.

Weather is expected to have eased enough for services between Aarhus and Sjællands Odde to resume by 4pm on Monday, Ritzau writes.

That means the next departure from Aarhus is likely to be at 4:15 pm and from Sjællands Odde at 6pm.

Passengers affected by the situation will be contacted directly by the ferry company.

“They will be able to choose to the alternate route via the Great Belt [Bridge, travel by road or rail, ed.]. Or they can of course move their trip to another day,” Maack said.

Passengers who do not travel will be given a full refund, he said.