Shipping and sea transport services

To get prepared for coming regulations well ahead of their entries-into-force, Finnlines has renewed its fleet over the years and installed energy-saving technologies. Before the Emission Trading Scheme started at the beginning of 2024, ships’ schedules were adjusted to spend “less time at port, more at sea”. The FuelEU Maritime regulation came into force on 1 January 2025 and it obligates shipping companies to use increasing volumes of alternative fuels. Finnlines has been actively working on a gradual transition to alternative fuels to decrease the dependency on fossil fuels.

The Shipping and Sea Transport segment’s revenues totalled EUR 676.3 (659.5 in 2023) million, and it employed
1,593 (1,465) people on average.

Finnlines transports a third of the one million trucks carrying goods between Finland, Sweden, and Continental Europe every year. In 2024, Finnlines transported 782,000 cargo units, 85,000 cars (not including passengers’ cars) and 1,234,000 tons of non-unitised freight.

Finnlines’ ro-ro services

Finnlines offers regular ro-ro liner services in the Baltic Sea between Finland and ports in Continental Europe and Scandinavia, in the North Sea between Finland and ports in Great Britain and Belgium, as well as in the Bay of Biscay between Finland and ports in Spain. Furthermore, Finnlines offers a direct connection between Ireland and Belgium. By transshipment in Zeebrügge, the Irish connection is available to cargo to and from Finland, Germany, and Spain.

The Biscay Line is a versatile service specifically crafted to address the logistics demands of industrial cargo and forwarding companies. It offers dependable weekly sailings connecting Finland with Belgium and Spain. Since September 2024, the service has been expanded to include Sheerness in Great Britain, providing a seamless access to the London metropolitan area and beyond. Additionally, Finnlines offers tailor-made connections and, through the port of Antwerp, integrates its services with the Grimaldi network for broader coverage.

The fleet operating on the Biscay Line features Finnlines’ advanced Finneco-class hybrid ro-ro vessels. These state-of-the-art vessels have been designed to enhance cargo flexibility, enabling them to handle a diverse and fragmented mix of cargo types while maintaining high load factors even in unbalanced market conditions.

Moreover, with cutting-edge design and advanced fuel-saving technologies, the Finneco-series maximizes operational efficiency, ensuring minimal carbon emissions per ton transported. This makes the Biscay Line a sustainable and flexible option for companies seeking customized, reliable transport services.

As an agent for Grimaldi Lines and Atlantic Container Line (ACL) in Finland, Finnlines connects via Antwerp Helsinki and Kotka in Finland and Travemünde in Germany via the Grimaldi Group network in the Mediterranean, West Africa, North and South America, as well as Asia and Australia.

Finnlines’ ro-pax services

The high frequency ro-pax lines cover the services between Finland and Sweden, Finland and Germany, Sweden and Germany, as well as Sweden and Poland.

Three Star-class vessels operate on the route between Helsinki and Travemünde, offering daily departures from both directions. The service strengthened its position as the largest carrier of unitised cargo between Finland and Germany compared to the previous year. For passengers, this route is the only direct maritime connection between Finland and Continental Europe.

The route between Malmö, Sweden, and Travemünde, Germany, offers 24 weekly departures in both directions, with an average intake capacity of over 1,000 cargo units per day. Finnlines’ punctual, high-frequency service, and fast nine hour voyage, ensure efficient transport services and intermodal solutions between Sweden and Germany. Three vessels operated on the route.

The route from Naantali via Långnäs to Kapellskär serves as a crucial maritime bridge between Finland and Sweden, ensuring the security of supply. During 2023–2024, services and facilities were upgraded when the first Superstar-class vessel Finnsirius entered traffic in September 2023 and the second vessel, Finncanopus, in February 2024. The two modern cruise-standard vessels offer first-class passenger and freight services and have set a new milestone in the ro-pax concept.

Together, the two Superstar-class vessels provide a daily capacity for more than 1,200 cargo units, more than sufficient to accommodate all lorry and trailer volumes crossing between Finland and Sweden.
In April 2024, Finnlines launched a freight and passenger line between Malmö, Sweden and Świnoujście, Poland. A ro-pax vessel, which has a capacity of 3,000 lanes metres for freight and may carry up to 440 passengers, operates daily to both directions.