ESTONIA. Tallink Grupp served 5.5 million passengers across its cruise ferry network in 2022, a leap of +84% compared to 2021. The figure remains well below the 9.8 million carried by the company in its record year, 2019. The company is among the major ferry operators on the Baltic Sea, and among the world’s leading maritime travel retailers.
Passenger numbers increased on all three of the company’s regular routes from Finland to Sweden, Estonia to Finland and Estonia to Sweden compared to 2021.
The greatest increase (+96%) came on Finland-Sweden routes with a total of 1.86 million passengers carried in 2022. Estonia-Sweden route traffic showed a +93.4% increase to 482,345 passengers, and the Estonia-Finland route had an increase of +76.9% year-on-year to 3.1 million.
Tallink Grupp CEO Paavo Nõgene said: “We have not seen passenger figures exceed 4 million in the last two years, so although the 5.5 million carried in 2022 is still not comparable to pre-Covid numbers, we are very pleased with this outcome. With six ships less in regular operations during the last quarter of the year, due to charter agreements and important war relief support, it is close to the maximum that could have been achieved during the year when COVID subsided, but even worse geopolitical crises arose.
“It has taken a great deal of effort from everyone in Tallink, both onshore and onboard, to return people to the ships after the pandemic and keep them sailing through geopolitical storms and an uncertain and challenging economic outlook.
“We will see what 2023 will have in store for all of us, but I hope most of all that it will bring with it peace. I am thankful and proud of each colleague and everyone who is currently doing their bit whether on board our accommodation vessels or anywhere else to help those faced with the challenges arising from the war. Our support is and continues to be there also in 2023 for those who need it the most.
“I am sure that our newest star of the Baltic Sea, MyStar, will find its own friends and fans in 2023 who will find their way to us again and again. Our customers’ other big favourites currently in regular operation, Baltic Queen, Silja Serenade, Silja Symphony, Baltic Princess, Megastar, Star and their professional crew are also all keen to welcome both old and new friends, so we hope to see everyone onboard in 2023.” ✈
