By
Laura Hyde |
Tallink’s Baltic Queen is to be withdrawn from service from 1 February 2026 for a two-week drydock at BLRT Grupp Turku Repair Yard in Naantali, Finland. The shipyard’s team will complete regular technical maintenance work, as well coat the ferry’s hull with an antifouling paint to reduce water resistance.
Much of the refurbishment work will be focused on the ship’s auxiliary systems, including cleaning and maintaining the ventilation and potable water systems. In addition to renewing paint and maintaining the thrusters, the shipyard’s team will inspect Baltic Queen’s anchor chains, test winches and maintain the stabilisers.
“To keep our ships in good and safe condition, constant maintenance is essential,” said Tarvi-Carlos Tuulik, chief captain of Tallink Grupp. “In addition to the daily work and regular maintenance performed by the crew, more thorough maintenance is necessary every few years to maintain and renew the ship’s underwater parts and tanks. This includes overhauling all watertight seals and valves and renewing the innovative paint coating on the underwater hull that reduces water resistance and decreases the ship’s fuel consumption.”
Baltic Queen previously underwent a longer drydock refurbishment in September 2023, but some cabins will be re-carpeted and the passenger sauna area will be updated during this two-week drydock.
While Baltic Queen is in drydock, Tallink’s Superfast IX will operate its usual route between Tallinn, Estonia, and Stockholm, Sweden. Alternatively, passengers can travel to Stockholm via Helsinki in Finland on Silja Serenade or Silja Symphony. Baltic Queen will return to operations on 13 February for a Valentine’s Day star artist cruise to Stockholm featuring the Estonian rock band, Terminaator.