Eckerö Line Confirms LOI to Purchase P&O Ferries European Endeavour
Rederi Ab Eckerö have signed a letter of intent to acquire P&O Ferries European Endeavour for a new freight-orientated service between Helsinki and Tallinn.
MEGASTAR
Ferry industry news roundup (wk 2 Apr ’17)
A roundup of some of the news from the ferry industry in recent weeks. Viking launches FSTR service with former Larne vessel HSC express, whilst competitor Linda Line sells one of their craft. HSC EXPRESS has started the latest chapter of her post-P&O career operating another service in the Baltic, this time for Viking Line as an additional vessel to their fast-conventional RoPax VIKING XPRS on the Helsinki – Tallinn route. Marketed as Viking FSTR (though still officially named EXPRESS), the former P&O vessel is operating the popular route in competition with Tallink’s ‘Shuttle’ service for vehicles and passengers, Eckerö Line who also carry vehicles and passengers on FINLANDIA, and Linda Line, who only carry passengers. The introduction of EXPRESS, which appears to be largely unchanged from her days operating from Larne, appears to be a response to Tallink’s introduction of the brand new MEGASTAR fast-conventional RoPax alongside STAR. Meanwhile, Linda Line have sold one of … Read more
HSC Express finds (another) new home on the Baltic.
HSC Express to become Viking FSTR. Baltic ferry operator Viking Line have announced that they will operate the former Larne – Troon fast craft HSC Express on their Helsinki – Tallinn route later in 2017.  Renamed Viking FSTR, the vessel which is on charter, will operate from 10th April to October 22nd with a crossing time across the Gulf of Finland of 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Viking FSTR (Viking Faster) joins the conventional ferry Viking XPRS on the route for Viking, operating in competition with Tallink’s Star, Silja Europa, and recently launched Megastar. A third operator on the route, Linda Line, operates the passenger only catamaran’s HSC Merlin and HSC Karolin with a 90 minute crossing time.  By comparison Tallink complete the passage in 2 hours, whilst Viking XPRS lags behind at 2.5 hours. The Helsinki to Tallinn route is very popular with shoppers who are keen to take advantage of the difference in tax rates … Read more
