The Helios project represents Viking Line’s ambition to take a more decisive role on the Helsinki-Tallinn route while simultaneously addressing tightening environmental requirements. Risberg points to the company’s earlier experience with LNG propulsion as an example of how technological leadership can translate into commercial advantage. When Viking Grace entered service in 2013 as the world’s first large LNG-powered ro-pax ferry, it fundamentally changed perceptions of alternative fuels in the sector. The subsequent introduction of Viking Glory in 2022 reinforced that position, and the company now aims to achieve a similar step-change through electrification. “Viking Grace was a real game-changer for the ferry industry at large,” says Risberg. “Helios could represent the next major step.” Electrification is more feasible on the Helsinki-Tallinn route thanks to its relatively short crossing time compared with Viking Line’s Finland-Sweden services. Earlier iterations of the Helios concept envisaged what could become the world’s largest fully electric ro-pax ferry, with battery capacity in the region of 85 to 100 megawatt hours (MWh) designed to enable emission-free crossings across the Gulf of Finland. Since the first concept illustrations were revealed in mid-2025, the project has continued to mature, with Viking Line refining both the design and technical configuration to better reflect operational realities on the route. Although Viking Line’s application for European Union (EU) Innovation Fund support scored highly from an innovation perspective, it was ultimately not selected in a highly competitive process. The concept has since been refined and is now centred on a large battery-powered vessel, potentially equipped with 60 to 70MWh of energy storage, supplemented by gensets to maintain operational flexibility and mitigate exposure to fluctuating electricity prices. The crossing time would be slightly longer than today’s fastest services operated by Tallink’s shuttle ferries, but the environmental benefits and long-term compliance with emissions regulations remain central to the concept. The Helios project builds on a pre-study conducted by Viking Line together with academic and industry partners, including Åbo Akademi, the University of Turku and Rauma Marine Constructions, before being further developed internally as part of the company’s long-term fleet renewal “ Viking Grace was a real game-changer for the ferry industry at large” 77 Photo: Mika Pakarinen/Keksi Agency
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=