There is still plenty of overcapacity on the Helsinki-Tallinn ferry route. The vessels plying the Estonian-Finnish routes have a total capacity of some 18,000 people on a daily basis. Even this year, just over one-third of those have been filled on average, reports YLE.
The CEO of Eckerö Line, David Lindström, points out that there is still overcapacity. "The competitive situation must be described as tough," he says. Eckerö is the third-largest operator behind Viking Line in terms of passengers, while the two are about even in cargo volumes.
On the upside, Ferry traffic between Estonia and Finland is growing significantly faster than any other routes in the Baltic Sea. Last summer, an all-time record was set for passenger travel between the two countries, while cargo traffic has already exceeded pre-recession levels.
Freight volumes have been growing steadily since last spring for the three largest shipping lines operating between Finland and Estonia.
Tallink says that the overall cargo market has grown this year by more than one-quarter compared with the same period of 2009.
This year's volume has already exceeded that of the former record year, 2008. Meanwhile freight on routes between Finland and Sweden is still about one-tenth lower than in 2008, while Finnish-German routes are one-fifth below 2008.
On the cargo side, capacity has been just over one-quarter. However the figures include weekends, which are popular for passengers but not for cargo. On weekdays cargo capacity is sometimes fully booked.
Tallinn lies 84 kilometres south of Helsinki, just two hours by the fastest ferries.
The CEO of Eckerö Line, David Lindström, points out that there is still overcapacity. "The competitive situation must be described as tough," he says. Eckerö is the third-largest operator behind Viking Line in terms of passengers, while the two are about even in cargo volumes.
On the upside, Ferry traffic between Estonia and Finland is growing significantly faster than any other routes in the Baltic Sea. Last summer, an all-time record was set for passenger travel between the two countries, while cargo traffic has already exceeded pre-recession levels.
Freight volumes have been growing steadily since last spring for the three largest shipping lines operating between Finland and Estonia.
Tallink says that the overall cargo market has grown this year by more than one-quarter compared with the same period of 2009.
This year's volume has already exceeded that of the former record year, 2008. Meanwhile freight on routes between Finland and Sweden is still about one-tenth lower than in 2008, while Finnish-German routes are one-fifth below 2008.
On the cargo side, capacity has been just over one-quarter. However the figures include weekends, which are popular for passengers but not for cargo. On weekdays cargo capacity is sometimes fully booked.
Tallinn lies 84 kilometres south of Helsinki, just two hours by the fastest ferries.