While most airlines continue to report depressed passenger numbers, Viking Line's Nordic ferry operation has continued to thrive in 2009, with a 3.2% increase in total passengers to 6,399,924 on its various routes.

The largest growth was achieved on the services to Estonia and to the Mariehamn (?land Islands, Finland) – Kapellsk?r (Sweden) route. The number of cars carried by Viking also grew by 14.9% during the year to 611,982.

In terms of performance by route sector during calendar 2009, Viking carried 1,586,933 passengers on the XPRS on the Helsinki (Finland) – Tallinn (Estonia) route – 191,580 more, corresponding to a +13.7% growth on 2008.

By contrast, on the short route across the Sea of ?land between Mariehamn and Kapellsk?r, passenger volume on the m/s Rosella rose from 625,393 to 733,121 or by 107,728 passengers (+17.2%).

Passenger volume on the Turku (Finland) – ?land Islands – Stockholm (Sweden) route aboard the Isabella and the Amorella decreased by 2.5% to 1,944,022.

On the Helsinki – Stockholm route, the number of passengers was marginally up by 0.7% to 1,138,987. Viking says that the Mariella underwent a major dry-docking during the period September 6-18, 2009, including an upgrading of public spaces.

Meanwhile, passenger volume on cruises from Stockholm onboard the m/s Cinderella reached 996,861 – a decrease of 5.5%. This was partly due to the dry-docking of the vessel between May 31-June 18, 2009, including extensive renovation work in its restaurants, night club, bars and other public spaces.

‘The growth in passenger figures is connected to the investments we have undertaken in quality-raising measures, which is also indicated in our customer surveys,’ said Boris Ekman, Executive Vice President.