At the Finnish Travel Gala, Viking Line was chosen as both Sustainable Operator of the Year and Transport Company of the Year. What weighed heavily in both elections was the shipping company's long-term investments in environmentally friendly technology and in innovations that renew the passenger experience.
At the finals of the Finnish Travel Gala, Viking Line was nominated in three categories: Sustainable Operator of the Year, Transport Company of the Year and Most Unforgettable Travel or Service Experience of the Year. The shipping company was named winner in the first two categories.
”"We have been working for safe and sustainable shipping for more than 60 years, and with the same recipe we are creating the travel experiences of the future. The double honor we have been awarded means extra much to us after these exceptional pandemic years that have hit the entire travel industry hard. A big thank you to the voters and the jury - and of course to all our customers - on behalf of all of us Vikings!" says Marketing Director Nina Suominen on Viking Line.
Viking Line has six ships in service in the Baltic Sea, carrying over 6 million passengers and 130,000 cargo units annually. The company is Finland's largest maritime employer and has the most ships flying the Finnish flag of any passenger shipping company.
Over the past ten years, Viking Line has invested a total of 450 million euros in the Baltic Sea's two most climate-smart ships: Viking Grace, which made its maiden cruise in 2013, and Viking Glory, which began service in March.
”"Due to our archipelago roots, protecting the Baltic Sea has a special meaning for us at Viking Line. Our sustainability work has roots that stretch back to the 1980s, and the climate-smart Viking Glory is the latest milestone on this journey. With the new ship, we can offer our customers more with less consumption," says Sustainability Manager Dani Lindberg on Viking Line.
Viking Glory is larger than its sister ship Viking Grace, but has approximately ten percent lower fuel consumption. Viking Glory is considered one of the world's most energy-efficient ships in its category. Examples of the ship's technical innovations include waste heat and cooling recovery, the world's most efficient low-emission and LNG-powered engines, air conditioning and lighting that are automatically controlled according to booking mode, an energy-efficient Azipod rudder propeller system and a hull that reduces wave formation.
Viking Glory began operating the Turku-Mariehamn-Stockholm route in March. The ship has set passenger records in just a few months: by the end of October, almost one million passengers had already travelled with Glory. In addition to Viking Line's traditional target groups, the new ship has also attracted young adults to a greater extent than before, for example, to the waves of the Baltic Sea.
”"To our great joy, demand for cruise tourism has recovered quickly, and on the Turku-Mariehamn-Stockholm route we recorded an all-time passenger record this summer. Glory added approximately ten percent more passenger capacity to the route and the cargo capacity is a full 60 percent larger compared to its predecessor Amorella. We have a responsible role in maintaining our country's security of supply, 90 percent of exports and 70 percent of imports go by sea," says Ninna Suominen.
According to a press release.
