Viking Line's Åbo vessel Viking Grace returns to service today, January 29th, after extensive upgrades and maintenance work costing seven million euros. During the three-week dry-docking, the shipping company has invested in updating the large tax-free shop, a new dance floor in the nightclub, upgrades to the spa, and extensive technical maintenance measures that contribute to further emissions reductions.

The Viking Grace, which departs from Stadsgården in Stockholm for Åland and Turku every morning, has been undergoing maintenance at the Turku Repair Yard for almost the entire month of January. Upgrade and maintenance work amounting to seven million euros has been carried out by over 300 experts and craftspeople.

Travellers will primarily notice upgrades to Viking Grace's public interiors and spaces. The ship's 1,600 square-metre tax-free shop has a new, fresh look, and the Archipelago Spa has gained a new cold-dip pool and a new shower world.

The carpets in the stairwells have been replaced and the walls re-wallpapered. In the nightclub Vogue, the furnishings have been updated and the 90-square-metre dance floor has been completely replaced.

– The dance floor at Vogue has been danced on so diligently for 13 years that there was nothing left to polish on the parquet. The new oak parquet flooring will guaranteed last for at least another 13 years, says Sari Launonen, superintendent at Viking Grace.

At the shipyard, service work has also been carried out on, among other things, the ship's rudder, propeller shaft system, and bow thrusters. The generators, bow thrusters, and propulsion engines have been inspected and all systems adjusted to maximise operational reliability and minimise environmental impact.

– Dockings are a central part of maintaining a vessel's safety, energy efficiency and value. Regular maintenance and technological development ensure high operational reliability while simultaneously reducing emissions, says Sari Launonen.

The most important technical maintenance measures at the shipyard:

• Maintenance of under-waterline systems: rudder, propeller shaft system and bow thrusters
• Painting of the ship's hull for improved corrosion protection and optimised fuel consumption
• Replacement of control system for RoRo equipment and HI-FOG sprinkler system
• Maintenance of the load handling equipment on car carriers
• Review and service of the electrical system, including generators, bow thrusters and propulsion engines
• Energy optimisation and system adjustment to ensure efficient operation, reduced environmental impact, and high operational reliability until the next dry dock.
• Improvement painting of the ship's exterior

About Viking Grace:

• Launched in January 2013
• Built at the Perno shipyard in Turku
• Length 218 m, width 31.8 m
• Passengers 2,800
• Cabins 880, beds 2 980
• The world's first passenger ship to use low-emission liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel, is today powered by a combination of natural gas and renewable biogas.
• 13.2 million passengers since operations began