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Tag: Viking XPRS | Ferry Shipping News

Mar 10
0

Viking XPRS raises Finnish flag

By | 2023 Newsletter week 10 | No Comments

At a ceremony at Skatudden, Helsinki on 6 March, the Finnish flag was raised on the VIKING XPRS.

The reflagging from the Estonian flag makes Viking Line Finland’s biggest employer in maritime transport.

The 2008-built VIKING XPRS operates on the Helsinki – Tallinn route. Staff on the vessel will be transferred to the Finnish salary system and become direct employees of Viking Line. The crew previously worked through an Estonian staffing company.

175 people work onboard with around 10% previously being crew of the ROSELLA, sold at the start of the year.

Master Stefan Dahlström said;

“We also have a number of experienced staff who were shifted over from our other vessels as well as former VIKING XPRS crew members. The reflagging will make hiring easier for us and give our staff greater opportunities to move between the vessels.”

The company has 1,200 permanent seafarers and about 500 fixed-term employees in Finland on vessels registered in Finland’s Register of Ships.  Four of the company’s five vessels – VIKING XPRS, VIKING GLORY, and VIKING GRACE AND GABRIELLA – are Finnish flagged.  CINDERELLA sails under the Swedish flag.

Photo: Viking Line

Dec 09
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Viking Line to sell ROSELLA as part of its fleet modernization

By | 2022 Newsletter week 49 | No Comments

Viking Line has agreed to sell ROSELLA to Greek Aegean Sealines Maritime Co.

The workhorse has served in Viking Line’s fleet since 1980.

ROSELLA will sail under a Greek flag and serve the Aegean Sea.

Viking Line has worked with great focus to modernize its fleet and is evaluating alternative solutions for its short-distance routes between Sweden and Åland.

The sale price is EUR 11,250,000 and will generate an accounting profit of about EUR 8,600,000 during the first quarter of 2023.

The vessel will end its service on January 8, 2023. Delivery will take place during the latter half of January 2023.

Aegean Sea Lines was founded in 2005 as the Aegean Speed Lines operating mainly high speed craft on the Piraeus – Western Cyclades line. In 2006, its shareholders changed and in 2009 they brought the successful Italian build sisters HSC SPEEDRUNNER IΙΙ, SPEEDRUNNER IV on the above line.

In 2016, Aegean Speed Lines sold SPEEDRUNNER IV due to the financial crisis that hit the Hellenic Coastal Shipping as well, while in April 2022 sold its only vessel SPEEDRUNNER III to Seajets but leaving a promise that it will come back!

With the today’s announcement the Aegean Sea Lines makes a dynamic come back on the line that made her great.

Dec 09
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Viking Line chooses Finnish flag for Viking XPRS

By | 2022 Newsletter week 49 | No Comments

Viking Line Abp had decided to register its passenger ship Viking XPRS in the Finnish  Register of Ships. The vessel, which began service in 2008, has been registered in Estonia since 2014.

The decision to register the vessel in Finland was made in order to make it easier to recruit staff and enable the company to administer all of its staff without any  intermediaries. The goal is to have the reflagging work completed during the first quarter of 2023.

Viking Line will begin the process of filling all the positions on board Viking XPRS under the Finnish flag with a few exceptions. Employees currently working on board the vessel (about 175 people) and employees from the company’s other vessels that sail under a Finnish flag can submit applications.

Jan 10
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Viking Line Adds Sailings Between Helsinki And Tallinn

By | 2019 Newsletter week 2 | No Comments

The popularity of route travel between Helsinki and Tallinn is on the rise. Viking Line is altering the timetables of VIKING XPRS to better correspond to the growing demand.

Additional departures will be added to the Friday and Sunday timetables as from 5 April.

Viking XPRS will make three trips per day on the Helsinki – Tallinn route on Fridays and Sundays, the most popular days.

The demand for additional departures is particularly high from Finland to Estonia, where (tourism) passengers are increasingly looking to travel to Tallinn and Estonia.

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