Finance minister Martin Helme (EKRE) says the state may purchase a EUR 150-million stake in Estonian shipping line Tallink, following the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The company’s CEO, Paavo Nõgene, said that this was perfectly conceivable.
Tallink (1)
Tallink Grupp has been commissioned by the Estonian Ministry of Economics and Communication to operate the group’s vessel STAR on the Paldiski-Sassnitz route. The route has been commissioned to ensure continuing movement of goods between the Baltics and the Nordics and Western Europe during the coronavirus situation.
The new schedule is effective from 27 March until 18 April 2020.
The vessel’s cargo capacity is 100 lorries and 10 passenger vehicles. If there are less lorries, more passenger vehicles may be taken on board. Passengers without vehicles will not be allowed on board. Food and medical supplies transport will be prioritised during the booking process.
Accommodation for all passengers will be provided in cabins.
Tallink (2)
Tallink is rerouting its vessels BALTIC PRINCESS and GALAXY back to the Turku-Stockholm route, via Långnäs in Aland. The rerouting is vital to ensure maritime transport of supplies and goods between Finland and Sweden continues as normal during the current coronavirus situation.
Tallink (3)
Members of the Tallink Grupp Supervisory Board Enn Pant, Ain Hanschmidt, Kalev Järvelill, Toivo Ninnas, Eve Pant and Raino Paron have this week unanimously decided to waive their Supervisory Board remuneration. According to the initial decision, the remuneration has been waived by the Board members for the next three months.
Commenting on the decision, Mr Enn Pant, Chairman of the Supervisory Board said:
“In the current economic crisis resulting from the coronavirus outbreak, which the whole world is faced with and in which everyone is looking for solutions to ensure survival and sustainability of operations, waiving the remuneration is the least the Supervisory Board members can currently do and it is the most logical step.
Tallink will start transporting regular passengers with vehicles on the Muuga-Vuosaari cargo route from 12 June.
The ship operating on the route is Tallink’s veteran SEA WIND.
The price for a single ticket for all departures all year round will be the same: €20 for a car and €10 per passenger. The price for the van and long van is also fixed for all departures and is €30 for the van and €40 for the long van all year round for all departures.
The ferry operates on the Muuga-Vuosaari route all year round every day of the week, except Saturday and the trip from Muuga to Vuosaari takes 3.5 hours and the return trip from Vuosaari to Muuga takes 4 hours. For an additional cost passengers can book a cabin, buy breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there is also a shop onboard. The ship is not suitable for travelling for people with disabilities or for passengers with pets.
Eckerö’s recently acquired FINBO CARGO will also go to Muuga harbour, instead of the Tallinn harbour.
First the good news:
- +0.1% passengers in May.
- +7.6% highest ever number of passengers for the month of May on the Latvia-Sweden route.
- +2.2% passengers on Finland – Sweden, highest number of passengers for the month of May in the last 13 years on the Finland-Sweden routes.
- +7.8% on Latvia-Sweden route (1,471 cargo units)
- +4% on Finland – Sweden (7,116 cargo units)
The not so good news:
The passenger numbers and number of cargo units transported on the Estonia-Finland and Estonia-Sweden routes decreased in May 2019.
The number of passenger vehicles transported decreased on all the group’s routes in May 2019 compared to the same period last year.
Tallink Consider Vuosaari-Muuga As One Option For STAR When MEGASTAR 2 Is Ready
Tallink Group has not yet decided whether the new shuttle express ship ordered from the Rauma Marine Constructions shipyard will replace the STAR on the route between Helsinki and Tallinn or whether the new ship will simply be added to the route for additional capacity.
Paavo Nõgene, Tallink’s CEO, says in a publication of Port of Helsinki that extra capacity is needed on the route Muuga–Vuosaari. STAR could be used on that route when the new ship arrives.
Currently Tallink operates the route with the 47-year-old SEA WIND.
Marine Façade Port to become a base for a single St. Petersburg public cruise / ferry operator. The authorities are thinking about a joint venture. Attica and Tallink are mentioned. (but another Russian source mentions ANEK)
- Last year, Tallink Grupp saw unaudited revenue from restaurant and shops sales (including onshore) slide by 2.3% to €524.4 million as spend per passenger declined slightly.
- The core retail and restaurant segment accounted for 55.2% of total Tallink Grupp revenue in 2018, in line with 2017 (55.5%).
- Sweden-Finland is key route for generating duty free sales . Traffic fall of 2.5%. Reason is the BALTIC PRINCESS which was out of service for 68 days in Q1, for maintenance.
- Estonia-Finland is busiest route (5.1 million pax). Increased competition = pressure on ticket prices. A new ferry has been ordered to join the MEGASTAR on the route in 2021.
Tallink’s vessel STAR, which operates on the Tallinn-Helsinki route, was recently renovated at the Klaipeda shipyard in Lithuania.
- Innovative „EnergoProFin“ solution was fitted on the propellers: an additional screw with small rotors, which increases efficiency and reduces the energy loss resulting from the whirlpool by 2-5%, and which also reduce the underwater noise and vibration caused by the vessel.
- Complete renovation of Snack Time cafe and Starbucks Café.
- Sea Pub was updated with a brand new concept.
- Children’s play area and shopping areas received a facelift.
- New carpets on the stairs, in the corridors and in Business Lounge.
- New toilets on whole ship.
During the renovation, arrangements were also made to stop using disposable plastic plates, cups and cutlery in all the restaurants.
STAR returned to the Tallinn-Helsinki route on Tuesday, 22 January.
BALTIC QUEEN and GALAXY are currently being modernised. This spring, two further vessels, VICTORIA I and ISABELLE will also be updated.
Tallink In November: Less Passengers Due To Scheduled Maintenance.
In November 2018 AS Tallink Grupp transported 5.5% less passengers, and 6.5% less cars as in November 2017.
The number of cargo units increased by 1.5%.
The reason is that the cruise ferry SILJA SERENADE did not operate on the route for 12 days, due to scheduled maintenance.
