Eckerö Line: passenger and freight volumes increased in 2024
The Finnish shipping company Eckerö Line's business developed positively during 2024. The company, which turned 30 last year, saw its passenger volumes and freight business grow, as did the revenue. A brand renewal will propel Eckerö Line into 2025.
Eckerö Line had a strong year in terms of revenue and passenger development in 2024. The company's revenue grew by 2.4%. The passenger numbers again exceeded 2 million and continued to increase slightly compared to the previous year. Eckerö Line's passenger numbers in 2024 totalled 2,069,812 passengers (2023: 2,058,510 passengers). Freight operations also developed positively: the market share of freight traffic grew significantly, especially in the second half of the year, and rose to almost 40% for the whole of 2024. Already 60% of the cargo transported by Eckerö Line goes via the Port of Vuosaari to Muuga in Tallinn, which reduces congestion in the centre of Helsinki and Tallinn.
“The year was very positive for us overall. It is great that we were able to continue to increase passenger numbers, despite the fact that m/s Finlandia was out of service for about five weeks due to docking. A big thank you goes to our customers and to our personnel who did an excellent job in 2024 as well,” says Eckerö Line's CEO Taru Keronen.
The year 2024 was also good for the Eckerö Group, which owns Eckerö Line. The Group announced in its year-end report on 28 February 2025, that its revenue was EUR 222.9 million in 2024 (2023: EUR 221.5 million), and operating result reached EUR 22.4 million (2023: EUR 21.4 million).
Eckerö Line will renew its brand in 2025 – customer and personnel experience at the heart of the strategy
Eckerö Line's new brand promise ‘Welcome onboard’ will be launched in April. The aim of the brand reform is to summarize Eckerö Line's strategy, which focuses on customer and staff experience, but also to highlight how the shipping company differs from its competitors.
“Our goal is to appeal to a wider customer base and to generate more interest in Eckerö Line. We are proud that customers are satisfied with our services and that is why our brand story focuses on our personnel and the best service in the Gulf of Finland. We want passengers to feel welcome on board,” says Keronen.
The best service on the Gulf of Finland has been proven by surveys several times. In 2024 for the second time in a row, Finnish passengers voted Eckerö Line first in a survey measuring customer satisfaction in shipping between Finland and Estonia. The survey was carried out as part of EPSI Rating's industry studies in maritime travel.
“Eckerö Line ships are like small villages, with all their services. Every passenger is warmly welcomed onboard. The atmosphere on board our ships is friendly and hospitable,” continues Keronen.
The renewal will be noticeable as of 28 April 2025.
Eckerö Line continues to develop its operations – a new collaboration with Onnibus
The collaboration between Eckerö Line and OnniBus will make it easier, especially for those travelling to the ship from beyond the capital region, as the OnniBus shuttle bus will transport Eckerö Line’s Tallinn passengers between the Kamppi long-distance terminal and the West Harbour. The collaboration will start on 2 June and the shuttle service will continue until 11 August 2025.