FINLANDIA remained the most popular vessel on the Helsinki–Tallinn route by passenger numbers during January–September.

The company’s freight business also developed positively. FINBO CARGO now carries 60% of Eckerö Line’s freight between Vuosaari harbour and Muuga in Estonia, avoiding city-centre congestion in both Helsinki and Tallinn. The Vuosaari–Muuga service has grown in popularity year after year.

“We are very pleased with our performance during the summer season, which is important for Eckerö Line. International visitors in particular discovered Finland and our ships this past summer. Our investments in energy efficiency were another highlight of the reporting period: FINLANDIA’s battery system, commissioned in the spring, made her the first hybrid ship on the Gulf of Finland, while FINBO CARGO is now harnessing solar energy,” said Eckerö Line Managing Director Taru Keronen.

The Eckerö Group’s long-term goal is fully electric shipping. Eckerö Line took a significant step towards electrifying its operations and more sustainable shipping in spring 2026, when a battery system was installed aboard FINLANDIA to reduce CO2 emissions. The targeted reduction in fuel consumption is around 3%, equivalent to annual fuel savings of approximately 500–600 tonnes.

Eckerö Line’s other vessel, FINBO CARGO, was fitted with 120 solar panels in summer 2026. The panels are expected to generate around 70 MWh annually, equivalent to fuel savings of approximately 15 tonnes. Installed by Solel Åland, the system is designed to allow its capacity to be expanded in future.

“The next step towards electrifying our shipping operations is already under way, with investment in rapid charging systems at the ports of Helsinki and Tallinn by the end of this year. Rapid charging will allow the battery to be recharged quickly during every port call. These investments are significant both environmentally and financially, as marine fuel prices have doubled during the year, putting pressure on our profitability,” Keronen said.

In addition to Eckerö Line, which operates between Helsinki and Tallinn, the Eckerö Group includes Eckerö Linjen with ECKERÖ, operating on the Sea of Åland, and Eckerö Link with FJÄRDVÄGEN, operating in the Archipelago Sea.

During January–September 2026, the Eckerö Group carried a total of 2,362,502 passengers and 154,665 freight units. Passenger numbers declined by 5% and freight volumes by 1% compared with the corresponding period last year, mainly due to FINLANDIA’s scheduled drydocking in January. From February onwards, freight volumes increased by 2%, reaching a record level for February–September.

The Eckerö Group reported revenue of EUR 178.0 million (EUR 181.1 million) and an operating profit of EUR 3.3 million (EUR 21.6 million). The decline in operating profit was mainly attributable to higher fuel and emissions allowance costs. Results for the reporting period were also affected by costs associated with FINLANDIA’s drydocking and preparations for ECKERÖ LINK’s entry into service.
Customers welcome improvements

During 2026, Eckerö Line also invested in the customer experience by refurbishing passenger areas aboard both FINLANDIA and FINBO CARGO.

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