Tallink passenger numbers up nearly 46 percent on year in Q1 2023
Tallink Grupp has published its passenger and cargo statistics for March and the first quarter (Q1) of 2023 (January to March). The figures reveal an increase in passenger numbers, and a decrease in the amount of cargo units carried.
According to a Tallink press release, the company transported a total of 1,049,777 passengers during the first quarter of this financial year, which is 45.7 percent more than in Q1 of 2022, when the number was 720,261.
Passenger numbers increased the most on the Tallinn-Stockholm route. They were up 77 percent compared to the first quarter of 2022 when Baltic Queen operations were temporarily suspended due to covid-related travel restrictions.
There was also a 47 percent rise in the number of passengers on the Tallinn-Helsinki route. There is now greater capacity on that route, with three shuttles operating on the during the Q1.
The number of passenger vehicles transported by Tallink also increased compared to Q1 2022. There were a total of 157,639 vehicles transported on the company's routes during the first three months of 2023, which is 12.3 percent more than during the same period in 2022 (140,380 vehicles).
However, the company reported a decrease in the number of cargo units it transported in Q1 2023, as a result of several of its vessels being chartered out.
In the first quarter of 2023, Tallink's vessels transported a total of 86,732 cargo units, which is a 14.9 percent drop compared to the 101,938 units it carried in the first quarter of 2022. The most significant reduction in the number of cargo units carried was on the routes between Finland Sweden. According to Tallink, they mainly result from the chartering of the company's Turku-Stockholm route vessel Galaxy and the technical dockings of the Silja Serenade, Silja Symphony and Baltic Princess vessels during Q1.
Commenting on statistics from the first quarter, Tallink Grupp CEO Paavo Nõgene said, that it was good to see passenger numbers continue to grow especially during, the ow season.
"When we also consider that the technical dockings of three of our cruise vessels were carried out during the first quarter too, thus further reducing capacity on the routes, then the result of having more than 1 million passengers carried during the deepest low season, is very good," said Nõgene.
"The fact that our transported cargo unit numbers have reduced compared to last year is thus also logical with reduced capacity on the routes, especially between Finland and Sweden," he added.
"I am pleased that, despite the reduced capacity, we have still been able to support the vital humanitarian aid transportation to Ukraine on our routes in Q1 where needed. We continue to work directly with a number of key organizations and supporting them in their relief effort in the war zone," Nõgene explained.
"Now that the first half of the year's technical dockings have been completed, we are making final preparations for the launches of our new food, beverage, entertainment and shopping offerings on board our ships, which are currently operating on our regular routes, "he continued.
"We are ready for the high season ahead and ready to welcome everyone on board for the nicest spring and summer sailings on the Baltic Sea."
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Editor: Michael Cole