ESTONIA. Cruise ferry company and leading maritime travel retailer Tallink Grupp served 5.53 million passengers across its Baltic Sea ferry routes in 2025, down by -0.9% year-on-year.
Volumes increased by +1.8% on the Finland–Estonia route but decreased by -2.4% on Finland–Sweden routes. Between Estonia and Sweden passenger numbers declined by -12.5%, which is related to the comparison with 2024 when two vessels operated on the route.
For 2026, Tallink has set a goal of maintaining its market position and increasing revenues.
CEO Paavo Nõgene said, “2025 was full of challenges, ranging from the generally unfavourable economic climate in the region to weak consumer confidence. Our results are particularly affected by the situation in our largest market, Finland. Taking all these factors into account, the outcome for 2025 was satisfactory with reservations.”
He added, “Internal decisions helped us adapt flexibly to the situation. The sale of three vessels has optimised our cost base, some ships have been chartered out, and we have remained a reliable dividend stock for investors.”
Several vessels are scheduled for maintenance during the year ahead. This month maintenance begins for cruise ferry Silja Symphony, which plies the the Finland–Sweden route and celebrates its 35th anniversary this year.
“Enhancing the sustainability of all routes and improving the company’s profitability is an ambitious task, but we are ready for it,” said Nõgene. “Although some economic recovery is expected, the lack of state support for the shipping sector in Estonia makes the situation more difficult compared to neighbouring countries.
“We also need to account for the full volume of CO2 quotas, which we are required to purchase, starting this year. On the other hand, our shuttle vessels are expected to fully transition to biomethane fuel, which is environmentally friendly and helps reduce emission costs. Social partnerships reflect our responsibility to give back to society, and supporting culture and sports also helps attract additional tourists to Estonia, benefiting society as a whole.” 🛳️
