Tallink confirms Silja Line purchase

Lorna Strickland

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Estonia's Tallink Group is announced as the buyer of Finnish ferry operator Silja Line

Estonian ferry operator Tallink has confirmed it will purchase Silja Line from Sea Containers. Tallink offered €450m ($593m) and will offer 5m new shares to acquire Silja Line. It plans to provide the ferry operator with new routes between Finland and Sweden and double its passenger traffic in the Baltic region. Silja Line operates six vessels between Finland and Sweden with passenger figures reaching 3.4m in 2005.

The deal is scheduled to be completed by July 28 and according to local reports Tallink will keep all Silja's routes and staff, with the ferries continuing to operate under their existing flags.

US-based owner Sea Containers has said it will continue to operate the SuperSeaCat fast ferry services between Helsinki and Tallinn subject to competition regulations.

Finnish ferry operator Viking Line and Norwegian shipping investment firm NorFerries have also confirmed they were in the running to purchase Silja.

See DFNI June 15 issue for more details.