The Estonian Tallink Grupp is selling the ferry “Star I”, which currently operates for the Silja Line brand, to the Irish Continental Group.
The ship, which was previously used on the Paldisiki-Kapellskär route between Estonia and Sweden, is to be replaced by a ferry built in Germany.
“When presenting last year’s financial results, we assured our investors and customers that we will remain flexible and respond to market demand,” said Paavo Nõgene, Chairman of Tallink’s Management Board. “The ‘Star I’ is an excellent ship that has served us well, and there has also been repeated interest in a takeover. Favorable circumstances created the right time for the sale and at the same time gave us the opportunity to continue passenger traffic with an equivalent ship – the ‘Superfast IX’, which returned last year from a long-term charter contract in Canada. Leaving a ship unused is not a sustainable option for the company in the long term.”
The “Superfast IX” will be deployed on the “Star I” route from April 12. The timetable and the service on board will remain unchanged, as will the current ticket prices.
Tallink deploys ship built in Kiel
“We will do everything necessary in the coming weeks to ensure a smooth transition to the new ship. Changes have already been made to the ticket sales and booking systems,” says Nõgene. “We can assure our customers that the change of ship will not lead to a deterioration in service quality.”
The “Superfast IX” is a modern and comfortable ship, the Managing Director explained. All catering services will also be offered on the new ship. As the “Superfast IX” also offers more cabins, the Paldiski-Kapellskär route can continue to be operated overnight. The ship also has more space for cargo transportation.
According to a company statement, the sale transaction will not have a significant impact on Tallink Silja Line’s financial results, but will help to optimize operations. Tallink Silja Line will hand over the “Star I” to Irish Ferries in the coming weeks.
The ro-pax ferry “Superfast IX” was built in 2002 at the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft shipyard in Kiel, which has been owned by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems since 2005. Tallink Silja Line acquired the ship in 2006 and initially deployed it under the Estonian flag on the Rostock-Paldiski-Hanko route, and later on the Helsinki-Rostock route. In recent years, the ship has been deployed in Canadian waters as part of a charter contract.
