Viking Line

• Q2 2025 sales rose to EUR 128.4m (EUR 125.9m in 2024) with operating income of EUR 6.9m (EUR 6.2m) and pre-tax income of EUR 4.8m (EUR 1.8m).
• For H1 2025, sales reached EUR 215.8m (EUR 219.1m), with an operating loss of EUR -11.2m (EUR -4.3m) and pre-tax loss of EUR -17.2m (EUR -12.4m). Results were impacted by the dockings of GABRIELLA and VIKING XPRS, as well as higher costs for emission allowances and fairway dues.
• Passenger volumes declined slightly to 2.0m, with a 31.6% market share. Freight volumes improved to 71,324 units, giving a 19.5% share.
• Investments amounted to EUR 12.4m, mainly related to GABRIELLA and VIKING XPRS.
• The Board approved a second instalment dividend of EUR 0.50 per share, totalling EUR 8.6m, to be paid on 25 August.

President and CEO Jan Hanses said the profit trend in Q2 was stronger than the previous year, with improvements seen in all months of the quarter. He noted that demand during the high season months of July and August is forecast to be good, though the autumn outlook remains uncertain.

The Board expects full-year pre-tax profits to be on par with 2024, despite economic headwinds in Finland and Sweden, geopolitical risks, and rising environmental compliance costs.

Full details: Viking Line

• Viking Line is considering moving operations from Åland to Sweden following a proposed change to Finland’s shipping subsidy rules.
• Finland’s Finance Minister Riikka Purra has announced that service personnel will no longer be included in manning support.
• The move could save the state €36 million, but Viking Line’s Information Director Johanna Boijer-Svahnström called it “a cold shower” and warned of “drastic measures”.
• The proposal is part of the 2026 budget bill and has raised serious concern within the Åland-based shipping community.

• Wasaline CEO Peter Ståhlberg also warns of serious consequences if Finland’s Ministry of Finance proceeds with its plan to remove manning subsidies for ferry service personnel.
• Ståhlberg predicts 90% of the Finnish-flagged merchant fleet could reflag to other countries if the cut is implemented.
• “Finland is practically an island – we only share one land border with the EU. All other transport depends on the sea.”

Sources: yle.fi and Omni Ekonomi / Nya Åland

Viking Line ranks highest in customer satisfaction and loyalty among passenger shipping companies in EPSI Rating’s 2025 Maritime Transport survey. The company scored above industry averages on all routes, with a notable 77.6 on Finland–Sweden and 76.4 on Estonia routes. Passengers also rate Viking Line as delivering the best value for money, with a score of 80.0.

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Photo Viking Line Joonas Kortelainen

Viking Line: five vessels served a total of 4.6 million passengers in 2024 and transported a record volume of cargo.

• Viking Line served a total of 4,646,676 passengers with its five vessels in 2024.
• The cruise vessel BIRKA GOTLAND, which is jointly owned with Gotlandsbolaget, also served 438,743 passengers.
• The biggest increase – almost 10% – was noted on the Helsinki–Tallinn route, which had 1,819,971 passengers.
• Capacity on the Helsinki–Stockholm route more than doubled when VIKING CINDERELLA launched service on the route alongside GABRIELLA in March. A total of 722,051 people travelled on the route, and Viking Line’s market share was boosted to 43%.
• On the Turku–Stockholm route, Viking Line’s market share was 70%, with VIKING GLORY and VIKING GRACE serving a total of 1,983,081 passengers.
• Viking Line transported a record volume of cargo last year, a total of 134,219 units.