Image: © Viking Line
Viking Line operates a fleet of ferries on routes between Finland, Sweden and Estonia. In addition to keeping its operations running smoothly and efficiently, environmental considerations are high on the company’s agenda. To meet these essential requirements, Viking Line relies on Wärtsilä’s expert support.
Finnish ferry company Viking Line is a market leader in passenger transport in the northern Baltic Sea region. The company also provides high-quality freight services, transporting more than 130,000 cargo units every year. In 2024 alone, Viking Line’s vessels carried a total of 4.6 million passengers and transported a record volume of cargo.
Viking Line has chosen Lifecycle Agreements with Wärtsilä for its passenger ferries Viking Grace and Viking Glory because this brings cost predictability for maintenance and helps ensure reliable performance and enhance operational efficiency.
Ready to meet decarbonisation targets
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has introduced regulations to steadily reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping to net zero by 2050.
Viking Line has plotted a steady course towards this goal. In 2013, the company pioneered a new era in ferry operations with the launch of Viking Grace, the world’s first ferry to operate with liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel. The vessel is equipped with four Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines and a complete Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage and supply system.
Viking Glory, the company’s second LNG-powered ship, started operations in 2022. The vessel represents another important milestone as it was the world’s first vessel to be equipped with Wärtsilä's highly efficient 31DF dual-fuel engines, which deliver the best fuel economy of any engine in their class. In addition to the six 31DF engines, the Viking Glory’s Lifecycle Agreement covers six Wärtsilä gas valve units and two Wärtsilä LNGPac fuel storage and supply systems.
Both vessels are equipped to start running on sustainable fuels, which will help achieve carbon-neutral operations in the future.
“The Viking Glory is one of the most environmentally sustainable vessels sailing today, and by maintaining the equipment we ensure efficiency of its operations.
Viking Line is one of the busiest passenger and cargo carriers in the Baltic Sea region, with vessels in transit every day of the week. If one of Viking Line’s vessels was out of service, the financial impact would be enormous – and would result in many unhappy customers. This is why high-quality equipment maintenance is vital.
Wärtsilä has overseen the maintenance of Viking Grace and Viking Glory since their maiden voyages. Viking Line’s positive experiences with the service and support they have received has led to the extension of the Lifecycle Agreements covering both ships. In addition to regular maintenance and 24/7 operational support, the agreements include Wärtsilä’s unique Expert Insight predictive maintenance service. Because Expert Insight uses advanced AI and rule-based diagnostics, it recognises problems very early on. Anomalies are flagged to an expert, who will recommend corrective actions and support the onboard engineers to resolve the issue before it becomes a major issue. The result is increased safety, reliability and efficiency.
“We already have two ferries covered by Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreements, and we have been extremely pleased with the service and support that Wärtsilä delivers.
Viking Line’s Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreements also include Wärtsilä’s Data-driven Maintenance Planning (DMP) service. Data-driven maintenance takes a condition-based approach to maintenance rather than following a fixed overhaul schedule based on logged running hours and reporting. Critical engine parameters are monitored based on real-time engine data, analytics and inspections. Data-driven maintenance makes it possible to extend the time between overhauls if the data shows that everything is in order. This eliminates the need for time-consuming and costly intermediate inspections.
Viking Grace, the world’s first LNG-powered passenger ship, features the following Wärtsilä equipment:
Viking Glory, the company’s latest LNG-powered ship, features the following Wärtsilä equipment:
Both ships are supported by Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreements, including Data-driven Maintenance Planning, genuine original equipment manufacturer (OEM) spare parts and 24/7 operational support for the equipment covered. The agreements also include Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight predictive maintenance service.