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Finnlines increasing capacity on key routes

Finnlines has evolved into a main player in the field of combined transports of cargo and passengers on the Baltic Sea. The fleet of today includes a large number of modern ro-pax ferries.

There are several business areas within the Finnlines Group, of which traffic with ro-pax vessels has been one of the most expansive. In addition to the traffic operated by the parent company, the subsidiaries FinnLink and Nordö Link are large operators in their respective traffic areas regarding cargo oriented ferry traffic.

Italian sisters
The ro-pax capacity within the group has been boosted by a series of very large vessels being delivered from Italy. The first two, the Finnstar and the Finnmaid, were handed over last summer and are now trading between Helsinki and Travemünde. The third vessel of this type, the Finnlady, is also intended for this particular route and will be delivered in early 2007.

The newbuildings have capacity for 4,200 lane metres of cargo and 500 passengers. They have strengthened Finnlines’ market position by providing a more efficient rotation and tonnage utilisation on the Helsinki–Travemünde route.

When the Finnlady is operational, four vessels of the Finnhansa-class have been replaced by three vessels of the Finnstar-class without any loss of frequency in sailings. There are still departures every night, but the capacity for passengers is four times higher and the cargo capacity has increased by a third. The service speed of 25 knots has been optimised for a fast turn-around, but still keeping fuel economy in mind.

	The ro-pax ferry Finnstar is the first of five newbuildings from Italy. Photo: Pär-Henrik Sjöström

New vessels to Nordö
Two of the Finnhansa-class vessels, the Finntrader and the Finnpartner, are to be converted for drive-through capability on main and upper cargo deck. After that they will be introduced on the Malmö–Travemünde service, which is operated by Finnlines’ subsidiary Nordö-Link.

The Finntrader is now at Remontowa in Poland for conversion and will be redelivered to her owner towards the end of the year, replacing the Finnsailor. In spring 2007 her sister Finnpartner is scheduled to enter service after her refit. She will replace the Finnarrow.

The fleet renewal at Nordö-Link continues after that. After the delivery of Finnlines’ remaining two Italian newbuildings they will most likely be employed by Nordö-Link, replacing the Malmö Link and Lübeck Link. The newbuildings will be named Europa Link and Nordlink and are due for delivery next year.

Managing director Eje Wilör at Nordö-Link is very pleased with the additional capacity provided by the Hansa-class vessels and the newbuildings. He says, that Finntrader has more than double the capacity of Finnsailor.

“Now we do not have the capacity to carry all that cargo that would be available. With the new vessels we will be able to meet the demand better than now”, he says.

The cargo traffic between Southern Sweden and Germany is booming, filling the cargo decks of all the operators in the region.

“Before we used to have our capacity fully utilised on certain sailings, now almost all sailings are fully booked”, Eje Wilör says.

Fourth vessel
Also in the fleet of FinnLink there will be some changes in the near future. The Finnsailor will be transferred from Nordö-Link to FinnLink’s service between Naantali and Kapellskär. After that the Finnclipper will temporarily leave the route for a refit in the beginning of 2007, boosting her cargo capacity from 2,500 to 2,900 lane meters. When she re-enters service in March, FinnLink introduces a new schedule with sailings four times a day from both ports.

“By building an additional upper deck to the Finnclipper she will be identical to the Finnfellow, enabling us to offer the same capacity from the evening sailings from both Naantali and Kapellskär”, explains FinnLink’s managing director Christer Backman.

	The Finntrader will be transferred to Nordö Link after being rebuilt in Poland. Photo: Pär-Henrik Sjöström

Extended passenger traffic
In 2006 FinnLink increased its passenger services and the volumes have grown with 50 per cent. Mr Backman estimates that a total of 40,000 passengers will be carried this year. The passenger business has gradually grown and the service is particularly popular with travellers with larger vehicles, such as caravans and vans.

Despite more and more activities in the passenger segment, FinnLink continues to be a carrier of primarily trucks.

“Cargo traffic is our main business, but in addition to that we want to offer an alternative transport for passengers who like to travel in a comfortable way, but do not need the entertainment and taxfree shopping onboard”, Mr Backman states.

//Pär-Henrik Sjöström

Latest update 24-11-2006 11:55

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