Finnlines is one of the leading operators in the sector in the Baltic Sea. Its strong position derives from excellent services and a product concept tailored to its customers’ needs. Finnlines’ high frequency of departures, cargo capacity and information services contribute flexibility, reliability and predictability to customers’ transport plans.

The Group operates an owned fleet of 15 ro-pax vessels that can carry cargo and passengers and 4 ro-ro vessels and an average of 20 time-chartered ro-ro vessels purely focused on cargo.

Despite tough competition, Finnlines strengthened its market-leading position on all of its ro-pax lines in 2008. During the year, Finnlines transported approximately 814,000 (791,000 in 2007) units of freight, 117,000 (99,000) vehicles (not including passengers’ vehicles) and approximately 2,901,000 (2,576,000) tonnes of non-unitised freight. Approximately 612,000 (504,000) passengers travelled with Finnlines, including freight-related passengers.

The whole Shipping and Sea Transportation segment’s turnover for the reporting period was EUR 643.7 (585.1) million, and employed 458 (456) people at year-end.

The company’s ro-ro operations run under the Finnlines name in the Baltic Sea and North Sea, under the FinnLink name between Naantali and Kapellskär, under the Nordö Link name between Malmö and Travemünde and under the TransRussia-Express name between Lübeck and St. Petersburg.

FINNLINES’ RO-PAX AND RO-RO TRAFFIC

Finnlines operated liner services under its own name in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay. The Company also provided related tailor-made door-to-door services and terminal services. During 2008, Finnlines’ competitive position strengthened and became established especially in German traffic, thanks to the commissioning of the new Star-class vessels. The fast, efficient and high-capacity service offered by the Star-class vessels was well received in the market and significantly increased competitiveness. The route with the highest frequency, Helsinki–Travemünde, had ten weekly departures in both directions at year-end, with three fast Star-class vessels and two Hansa-class vessels.

FINNLINK TRAFFIC

FinnLink traffic operated on four ro-pax vessels. Eight daily departures were offered for unitised cargo traffic on the maritime route between Naantali (Finland) and Kapellskär (Sweden). The fast eight-hour connection and the service’s schedule, tailored to the needs of freight customers, have maintained the competitiveness of the route.

The number of trucks transported by FinnLink rose to nearly 159,000 units, representing a growth exceeding 12 per cent over the previous year. The line’s market share of Finland–Sweden cargo traffic was approximately 53 per cent.

Passenger traffic continued on three vessels, the main target group being touring car and caravan passengers. The line’s passenger volumes rose to nearly 70,000 people, representing a growth of more than 40 per cent year on year.

Three so-called Clipper-class ro-pax vessels and one smaller ro-pax vessel in FinnLink traffic offered customers an excellent service capacity year round.

NORDÖLINK TRAFFIC

NordöLink offers ro-pax services on the maritime route between Malmö (Sweden) and Travemünde (Germany). In 2008, NordöLink had two Star-class and two Hansa-class ro-pax vessels, providing four daily departures in both directions.

NordöLink’s transported volumes increased by eight per cent compared to the previous year. NordöLink maintained its market-leading position on the Lübeck/Travemünde–Southern Sweden route with a 57 per cent market share. In the second half of the year, the economic downturn in Sweden and Germany had a powerful impact on the amount of cargo transported on the route.

TRANSRUSSIAEXPRESS (TRE) TRAFFIC

Finnlines sailed between Germany and Russia (Lübeck–St. Petersburg) on three vessels under the TransRussiaExpress (TRE) name. Traffic volumes between Russia and the Southern Baltic continued to grow in the early stages of the year, but the growth rate came to a halt during the summer and particularily the autumn, due to the global financial crisis, which reached Russia with a few months’ delay.

The Company maintained its market-leading position in TRE traffic thanks to an increase in port capacity and services planned according to customers’ needs. Finnlines owns 75 per cent of TRE traffic, with the other 25 per cent belonging to Russian partners.

OTHER TRAFFIC

Intercarriers, in which Finnlines holds a 51 per cent stake, offered small-tonnage traffic services from ports in Lake Saimaa and some Russian inland ports to various parts of Europe.