Finnlines celebrates 75 years of shipping

New vessels and sights on the horizon

Finnlines has a long and successful history in Finland, but the focus is to continue to develop, do better and look full ahead. Finnlines is the major carrier of imports and exports in Finland and the series of three new Eco ships will reduce the environmental footprint further. Today, Finnlines celebrates its 75th anniversary and MS Finneco II will exceptionally enter South Harbour in the Port of Helsinki.

Finland is like an island and therefore very dependent on regular and dense maritime connections. The Finnlines business concept is based on scheduled liner services and the company is one of the major carriers of emergency supplies and commodities.

Finnlines’ extensive route network offers Finnish export industries regular and reliable connections to European markets and ensures imports of vital products in terms of security of supplies.

Finnlines also provides passenger services and its eight passenger-freight ferries operate between Finland and Germany, between Sweden and Germany and on the route mainland Finland–Åland Islands–Sweden. These ro-pax services combine carriage of passengers and freight, which raises the utilization rate of routes and vessels and enables a sustainable and responsible manner to travel. This has been recognized by Visit Finland, which awarded Finnlines the Sustainable Travel Finland label.

New vessels and maritime connections

During the summer of 2022, Finnlines expanded its fleet and introduced three new Eco-class hybrid ro-ro vessels, which operate on the route Bilbao–Zeebrugge/Antwerp–Travemünde–Helsinki/Kotka–Paldiski.

The cargo capacity on each vessel is 5,800 lane metres, equivalent to about 400 trailers. These environmentally friendly vessels also support customers’ green transition. The three giant vessels with state-of-the-art technology do not only offer economies of scale to customers, but the environmental footprint will reduce. The vessels are equipped with advanced technology, such as an air lubrication system, high-powered batteries and solar panels.

Finnlines is in the process of constructing two Superstar ro-pax vessels scheduled to enter the Finnlines traffic in 2023. Both of these combined cargo and passenger ships can carry 300 trucks, 200 cars and 1,100 passengers. Introduction of the Superstar ropax-vessels is a substantial investment in passenger traffic between Finland and Sweden on the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route.

Finnlines develops its services to satisfy the requirements of freight customers and passengers. In July 2022 Finnlines expanded its network when it launched a route between Rosslare, Ireland, and Zeebrugge, Belgium. The new route opens an important link to Irish industries and the transshipment in Zeebrugge provides a connection for Finnish, Estonian, German and Spanish imports and exports to and from Ireland.

Finnlines celebrates its 75-year anniversary

Finnlines has provided services to Finnish imports and exports and ensured together with its customers the country’s security of supply for as many as 75 years. The company started with six old steamship to reinforce the Finnish merchant fleet in 1947. Today, Finnlines owns and operates a fleet of 23 vessels, 20 of which sail under the Finnish flag.

Finnlines is fully owned by the Grimaldi Group, which is one of the world’s largest operators of ro-ro vessels and the largest operator of the Motorways of the Sea in Europe for both passengers and freight. The Grimaldi Group invests in its fleet and in innovative solutions and green technology and takes part in maritime research and development. The Grimaldi Group as a sole shareholder reinforces Finnlines’ strategy and enables it to be the most efficient shipping company in the Baltic Sea.

Finnlines continues to expand its services by increasing freight capacity and improving its network for customers – more efficiently, reliably and sustainably.

Today on 20 September 2022, Finnlines celebrates 75 years of shipping on MS Finneco II, which makes an exceptional call in the Olympia Terminal in Helsinki South Harbour.