At the same time, the company's fleet transported 64,872 ro-ro cargo units, an advance of 9% on the H1 2022 result.

"Results for the first half of the year exceeded expectations and give cause for an improved full-year outlook. Passenger and cargo volumes continued to rise despite a smaller number of vessels while the planned price levels were reached," commented Jan Hanses, Viking Line's CEO.

He furthered, "Bunker (vessel oil) prices have gradually fallen but are still very high relative to before the pandemic and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine."

Hanses also observed, "Starting in 2024, our traffic will fall under the EU Emissions Trading System, which means a cost will be imposed on us that we can only partly offset in the medium term through continued energy efficiency work. Fossil-free fuels are not available in quantity and at prices that are economically viable."

"The introduction of a temporary island exemption from the EU Emissions Trading System for traffic between Finland and Åland is thus well justified since the transition to fossil-free fuels is not determined by the cost of emissions rights but by the supply of alternative fossil-free fuels. We do not intend to lower our ambitions to reduce emissions from our traffic because of the introduction of the island exemption. On the contrary, we will use the cost savings for the continued work aimed at transitioning to fossil-free fuels and increasing energy efficiency."