Eckerö Line’s summer season was a success and investments in energy efficiency continued

Eckerö Line’s passenger travel business on the Helsinki–Tallinn route developed steadily during January–September 2026. Eckerö Line’s ships MS Finlandia and MS Finbo Cargo transported more than 1.5 million passengers in January–September. Passenger volumes were affected by the docking of MS Finlandia at the beginning of the year 2026, as the ship was out of traffic for about three weeks. According to passenger volumes in January–September, MS Finlandia remained the most popular ship on the Helsinki–Tallinn route.

The company’s cargo business also showed positive development. Already 60% of the cargo transported by Eckerö Line goes via the Port of Vuosaari to Muuga in Estonia, avoiding congestions in the city centre areas of both Helsinki and Tallinn. The route Vuosaari–Muuga keeps growing in popularity year after year.

“We are very pleased with our success during Eckerö Line’s important summer season. Especially foreign travellers found their way to Finland last summer and to our ships. Additional highlights during the reporting period are our investments in energy efficiency. MS Finlandia became the first hybrid ship on the Gulf of Finland thanks to a battery solution implemented in the spring and MS Finbo Cargo now utilises solar power”, says Eckerö Line CEO Taru Keronen.

The long-term goal for Eckerö Group is fully electrified shipping. Eckerö Line took a significant step towards electrified traffic and more sustainable maritime operations last spring as a battery solution, which reduces carbon emissions, was installed on MS Finlandia. The targeted reduction in fuel consumption is around 3%, meaning MS Finlandia will use approximately 500–600 tonnes less fuel per year.

During the summer of 2026 a total of 120 solar panels were installed on board Eckerö Line’s other ship MS Finbo Cargo. The panels are expected to produce approximately 70 MWh of energy per year, equivalent to a fuel saving of roughly 15 tonnes. The panel installation, carried out by Solel Åland, is designed to allow future expansion.

 “The next step in electrifying shipping is already in progress as we are, by the end of this year, investing in fast charging systems in Helsinki and Tallinn harbours. Fast charging enables a rapid recharge during every port stay. Our investments are significant, not only for the environment but also economically, as shipping fuel prices have doubled this year, challenging profitability”, says Taru Keronen.

Eckerö Group consists of, in addition to Eckerö Line which operates the route Helsinki–Tallinn, also of Eckerö Linjen which operates on the Åland Sea and Eckerö Link which operates on the Archipelago Sea.

From January to September 2026, Eckerö Group transported a total of 2 362 502 passengers and 154 665 cargo units. Passenger numbers decreased by 5% compared with the corresponding period last year, and cargo volumes fell by 1%. These decreases were mainly due to the scheduled dry-docking of MS Finlandia in January. From February onwards, cargo volumes increased by 2%, reaching a record high for the February–September period.

The Eckerö Group’s revenue was €178.0 million (€181.1 million), and the operating result €3.3 million (€21.6 million). The drop in the result was mainly caused by increased bunker prices and emission allowance costs. The result for the reporting period was also affected by costs associated with the dry-docking of MS Finlandia and the launch of operations for MS Eckerö Link. 

During 2026 Eckerö Line has invested in customer experience with upgrades in passenger areas on both MS Finlandia and MS Finbo Cargo.

Customer feedback on the new seating area Horizon Seats, a 150-seat space, and the expansion of the cafeteria on MS Finlandia has been very good. The new interior look in restaurant Buffet Eckerö is regarded as fresh and inviting, and the new menus have earned considerable praise. Although queues may still form at the buffet, the renewed serving counters ensure that they move noticeably faster than before. Food product development is an ongoing process for us, and customer feedback plays a key role”, Taru Keronen points out.