Viking Line has dramatically increased its use of biogas, cutting greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60,000 tonnes, as the ferry operator reported a record year for cargo and continued progress towards fossil-free maritime transport.
In 2025, the company used around 6,000 tonnes of biogas – a tenfold increase on the previous year – which represents one of the most significant shifts towards renewable fuel in its history.
The expansion of biogas use came alongside strong growth in freight. Viking Line transported a record 139,484 cargo units in 2025, nearly 4 per cent more than in 2024, underlining the rising demand for low-emission shipping solutions.
“In this uncertain economic environment, we are very pleased with the strong results for cargo,” said Cargo Director Harri Tamminen. “They are based on long-term collaboration with our partners. Our customers rely on us, and we continue to develop new solutions for them – most recently by offering fossil-free transport.”
Overall, Viking Line carried 4.6 million passengers on its five vessels in 2025, slightly down by 0.8 per cent on the previous year. However, growth on key routes and strong freight performance helped offset the marginal decline in passenger numbers.
The Helsinki–Stockholm route recorded a 12 per cent increase in passenger volumes to 808,787, boosting Viking Line’s market share to 47 per cent.
A total of 1.82 million passengers travelled between Helsinki and Tallinn, while almost 1.95 million sailed between Turku and Stockholm. The company also transported more than 509,000 passenger cars during the year.
Deputy CEO Peter Hellgren said the company was encouraged by improving market conditions and customer confidence.
“Towards the end of the year, we saw signs of recovery,” he said. “We are immensely pleased with the growth in our share of international passengers and with customer satisfaction, which reached record levels during the summer season. This shows that our investments in service, staff and vessels are delivering results.”
Alongside biogas, Viking Line is pursuing longer-term zero-emission solutions. In June, the company unveiled its Helios concept, an electric-powered passenger and car ferry designed for the Helsinki–Tallinn route. If realised, it would become the world’s largest electric ferry and could establish a green shipping corridor across the Gulf of Finland in the early 2030s.
While the electric project remains at the concept stage, Viking Line emphasised that biogas is already delivering tangible climate benefits today. The 6,000 tonnes of biogas used in 2025 represent a major step towards reducing reliance on fossil fuels and demonstrate how renewable fuels can be scaled quickly in commercial shipping.
Viking Line ramps up biogas use tenfold
