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Viking Line

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Not to be confused with Royal Viking Line, Viking Cruises, or Viking Airlines.

Viking Line Abp
Company typePublic
Nasdaq Helsinki: VIK1V
IndustryShipping
Founded1959
FounderGunnar Eklund Edit this on Wikidata
HeadquartersMariehamn, Åland, Finland
Area served
Northern Europe
Key people
Jan Hanses (CEO)
Andreas Remmer (Executive Vice President)
ProductsFerries, port services, passenger transportation, freight transportation, holidays, business travel
RevenueDecrease 491.4 million euros (2023) [1]
Increase 55.0 million euros (2023) [1]
Increase 36.3 million euros (2023) [1]
Number of employees
2,227 (2023) [1]
Websitewww.vikingline.com
Footnotes / references
House flag of Viking Line

Viking Line Abp is a Finnish shipping company that operates a fleet of ferries and cruiseferries between Finland, the Åland Islands, Sweden and Estonia. Viking Line shares are quoted on the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Viking Line is operated from Åland.

Company history

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Sun deck of the original SS Viking, photographed in 1963

Early years: 1959–1966

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Viking Line's history can be traced back to 1959, when a group of sea- and businessmen from the Åland Islands province in Finland formed Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen, purchased a steam-powered car-ferry SS Dinard from the UK, renamed her SS Viking and began service on the route Korpo (Finland)–Mariehamn (Åland)–Gräddö (Sweden).[2][3]: 18–20  In the same year the Gotland-based Rederi AB Slite began a service between Simpnäs (Sweden) and Mariehamn.[3]: 22–23 

In 1962, a disagreement caused a group of people to leave Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen and form a new company, Rederi Ab Ålandsfärjan, who began a service linking Gräddö and Mariehamn the following year.[3]: 18–20 

Soon the three companies, all competing for passengers between Åland Islands and Sweden, realised that they in the long run all stood to lose from mutual competition. In 1965 Vikinglinjen and Slite began collaborating,[3]: 22–23  and in the end of July 1966 Viking Line was established as a marketing company for all three companies.[2][3]: 18–20  At this time Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen changed their name to Rederi Ab Solstad, in order to avoid confusion with the marketing company.[3]: 18–20  The red hull livery was adopted from Slite's Ålandspilen service[3]: 22–23 [4] (to which it had been taken from the colour of the chairman's wife's lipstick![5]). In 1967 Rederi Ab Ålandsfärjan changed its name to SF Line[3]: 26–27  and in 1977 Rederi Ab Solstad was merged into its mother company Rederi Ab Sally.[6]

1967–1985

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Because Viking Line was only a marketing company, each owner company retained their individual fleets and could choose on which routes to set their ships (naturally there was also co-ordination on schedules and such). Each company's ships were easy to distinguish by name: all Sally ships had a "Viking" prefix on their names, Slite took their names from Roman and Greek mythologies, while SF Line's names ended with -ella in honor of managing director Gunnar Eklund's wife Ellen Eklund.

MS Viking 5, built 1974 for Rederi Ab Sally, in Stockholm during her first year of service

During the 1970s Viking expanded greatly and overtook Silja Line as the largest shipping consortium on the Northern Baltic Sea.[citation needed] Between 1970 and 1973 Slite and Sally took delivery of five nearly identical ships built at Meyer Werft Germany, namely MS Apollo and MS Diana for Slite, and MS Viking 1, MS Viking 3 and MS Viking 4 for Sally. MS Viking 5, delivered in 1974, was an enlargened version of the same design.[3]: 40–43  These so-called Papenburg sisters can be considered to be one of the most successful ships designs of all times[citation needed] (the shipyard built three additional sisters of the original design for Transbordadores for ship services in Mexico: Coromuel,[7] Puerto Vallarta[8] and Azteca[9]). In 1973 Viking Line started service on the Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm route, directly competing with Silja Line for the first time. The next year Sally began Viking Line traffic between Helsinki and Stockholm.[3]: 44–46  For the next decade this route stayed in their hands, whereas on other routes the three companies operated together.

By the latter half of the 1970s, Sally was clearly the dominant partner in the consortium. In 1980 they took delivery of three new ferries (MS Viking Saga, MS Viking Sally and MS Viking Song), largest to have sailed under Viking's colours. This further established their dominance over the other partners, although SF Line did take delivery of the new MS Turella and MS Rosella in 1979–80 and Slite MS Diana II in 1979.[3]: 53–54  In the early 1980s Sally started expanding their operations to other waters, which became the company's failing as those operations were largely unprofitable and ultimately made Sally unable to invest on new tonnage for Viking Line service.[10]

MS Mariella, the world's largest cruiseferry 1985–89, at Kustaanmiekka strait, Helsinki

1985–1993

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In 1985 a new leaf was turned in Viking Line's history when SF Line's brand-new MS Mariella, at the time the largest ferry in the world, replaced MS Viking Song on Helsinki–Stockholm service, breaking Sally's monopoly on the route. The next year Slite took delivery of Mariella's sister MS Olympia and thus forced Sally out of Helsinki–Stockholm traffic completely. While SF Line and Slite were planning additional newbuilds, Sally were in an extremely poor position financially and in 1987 Effoa and Johnson Line, the owners of Silja Line, purchased Sally. As a result, SF Line and Slite forced Sally to leave the Viking Line consortium.[3]: 69–70 

Between 1988 and 1990 SF Line took delivery of three new ships (MS Amorella, MS Isabella and MS Cinderella) while Slite took delivery of two (MS Athena and MS Kalypso).[3]: 73 Unfortunately Wärtsilä Marine, the shipyard building one of SF Line's newbuilds and both of Slite's, went bankrupt in 1989. SF Line avoided financial repercussions, their Cinderella had been continuously paid for as her construction progressed. Hence it was SF Line who owned the almost completed ship when the shipyard went bankrupt.[11] Slite however had signed a more traditional type of contract, the Kalypso was to be paid for on delivery. Since the shipyard owned the unfinished ship, this led to an increased cost for the Kalypso[12]—about 200 million SEK more than had been originally envisaged.[citation needed] In the end, despite the financial problems, by 1990 Viking Line had the largest and newest cruiseferry fleet in the world.

MS Cinderella was the largest cruiseferry in the world when delivered in 1989. In 2003 she was renamed MS Viking Cinderella and given the white livery displayed here.

In 1989[citation needed] Slite started planning MS Europa, which was to be the jewel in the company's crown, the largest and most luxurious cruiseferry in the world. Unfortunately for them Sweden entered a financial crisis during the construction of the ship, which led to devaluation of the Swedish krona. This in turn meant that the cost for the Europa increased by 400 million SEK. When time came to take delivery of the new ship, Slite did not have the funds to pay for it and their main funders (Swedish Nordbanken, who were also the main funders of Silja Line) refused to loan them the money needed. Eventually the ship ended up in Silja Line's fleet and Slite was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1993.[13]

1993–2010

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Following the bankruptcy of Rederi AB Slite, SF Line was left as the sole operator under the Viking Line brand. The remaining two Slite ships, Athena and Kalypso were auctioned in August 1993.[14][15] SF Line made a bid for the Kalypso, but both ships ended up sold to the newly established Malaysian cruise ship operator Star Cruises. In 1995 SF Line changed their name into Viking Line.

Between 1994 and 1996 the company operated a fast ferry service from Helsinki to Tallinn during the summers on chartered catamaran ships.[16] In 1997 they purchased MS Silja Scandinavia from Sea-Link Shipping AB and renamed her MS Gabriella for Helsinki–Stockholm service.[17] It has been reported that around the same time plans were made to construct a pair of new ships for the Helsinki–Stockholm service so that Viking could better compete with Silja on that route, but the plans were shelved.[citation needed]

In 2006 Sea Containers Ltd—that had become the main owner of Silja Line in 1999—placed Silja Line and their cargo-carrying subsidiary SeaWind Line for sale, except for GTS Finnjet and MS Silja Opera that were transferred under Sea Container's direct ownership and eventually sold.[18] Viking Line placed a bid for their main competitor,[19] but were outbid by the Estonian Tallink.[20]

The first new ship built for Viking Line since Slite's MS Kalypso in 1990, MS Viking XPRS, had been ordered from Aker Finnyards in 2005,[21] in response to growing competition from Tallink on the Helsinki–Tallinn route.[citation needed] The Viking XPRS eventually entered service for Viking in April 2008.[21] A second new ship was ordered in January 2007, when Viking Line announced that they had placed an order for a 15,000 GT ferry at the Spanish shipyard Astilleros de Sevilla. The project name for the ship, that would have replaced the MS Rosella on the Mariehamn–Kapellskär route,[22] was Viking ADCC. Her delivery was originally expected for March 2009,[23] but after delivery of the ship had been delayed multiple times, on 8 February 2010 Viking Line decided to cancel the contract altogether.[24]

2010–present

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Nils-Erik Eklund retired as Viking Line's CEO in July 2010. He was replaced by Mikael Backman, who has previously worked with Royal Caribbean. In interviews Backman has stated he hopes to introduce features from Caribbean cruise ships to Viking Line vessels, as well as begin selling Viking's routes to North American customers as a new cruise experience.[25]

In a seminar held in January 2010, Backman stated that Viking Line were negotiating with nine different shipyards about the possibility of constructing a pair of 60,000 GT ships to replace Amorella and Isabella on the Turku–Stockholm service.[26][27] The possibility of using liquefied natural gas engines and other emission-reducing technologies were reportedly researched,[28][29] while according to Mikael Backman the ships would include various features akin to those found onboard cruise ships such as Royal Caribbean International's MS Oasis of the Seas.[27] Projected delivery dates for the vessels were May 2012 and February 2013.[30]

In October 2010 Viking Line signed a letter of intent with STX Turku for a 57,000 GT cruiseferry for the Turku–Stockholm route.[31] Two months later, the formal order for the new ship was placed.[32] The new ship, christened Viking Grace, was laid down on 6 March 2012 and launched on 10 August. The ship entered service in January 2013. Viking Line had an option for a sister ship but announced in May 2012 that they have decided not to build it.

Viking Line revealed in November 2016, that a letter of intent had been signed with Chinese shipyard Xiamen Shipbuilding for the construction of a 63,000 GT cruiseferry that would on completion replace the Amorella in the Viking Line fleet. The new ship would be LNG powered and would sport Flettner rotors to reduce fuel consumption.[33]

On May 27, 2019, Viking Line announced the official name of the ship, M/S Viking Glory, after a public name-giving contest.

The maiden voyage of M/S Viking Glory took place from March 1–2, 2022. She is in service on the Stockholm-Mariehamn-Turku route.

Ville Viking

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Ville Viking is a white ship's cat in a sailor's outfit.

Ville Viking is the mascot of Viking Line, which is used as an icon for activities for children passengers, marketing and merchandising. The white ship's cat figure appears on ships and Viking Line's marketing events at least in Finland and Sweden.[34] The feline figure can be hugged and can appear in pictures with people.[35][36]

The name of the Viking Line children's club is Ville Viking Club. Children under 12 years of age can join the club free of charge, and members receive a mail letter twice per year. The club has its own cruises from Turku once per week and from Helsinki once per month except for the summer holiday season.[37]

Alcohol-free Ville Viking drinks can be bought on Viking Line's ships. Children's menus and buffet tables on the ships are also named for the character.

In 2007 a CD of children's songs was published under the Ville Viking name.[38]

Fleet

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Current fleet

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Ship Type Built Entered
service 		Gross tonnage Passengers
(max) 		Vehicles Knots Route Flag and home port Image
MS Viking Cinderella Cruiseferry 1989 1989– 46,398 GT 2.560 480 22 Helsinki – Mariehamn – Stockholm Finland Åland Mariehamn, Finland
MS Gabriella Cruiseferry 1992 1997– 35,492 GT 2.420 400 21,5 Helsinki – Mariehamn – Stockholm Finland Åland Mariehamn, Finland
MS Viking XPRS Cruiseferry 2008 2008– 35,918 GT 2.500 240 25 Helsinki – Tallinn Finland Åland Mariehamn, Finland
MS Viking Grace Cruiseferry 2013 2013– 57,565 GT 2.800 500 22 Turku – Mariehamn / Långnäs – Stockholm Finland Åland Mariehamn, Finland
MS Viking Glory Cruiseferry 2021 2022– 65,211 GT 2.800 640 22,1 Turku – Mariehamn / Långnäs – Stockholm Finland Åland Mariehamn, Finland
MS Birka Gotland Cruiseship 2004 2024– 34,924 GT 1.800 0 21,5 Stockholm – Mariehamn – Visby Sweden Stockholm, Sweden

Former ships

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Ships that are still in use are marked in green.

Ship Built Owner/operator In service Current status
SS Viking 1924 Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen 1959–1970 Scrapped in 1973.
MS Slite
MS Tella 		1955 Rederi AB Slite 1959–1963
1989 (chartered) 		Scrapped in 2006.
MS Boge 1956 Rederi AB Slite 1961–1963 Sunk in 1981.
MS Linden 1951 1963–1964 Scrapped in 1974.
SS Ålandsfärjan 1933 Rederi Ab Ålandsfärjan 1963–1972 Scrapped in 1972.
MS Thor Viking 1944 1963–1967 Scrapped in 1974.
SS Drotten 1924 Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen 1964–1966 Scrapped in 1979.
MS Apollo 1964 Rederi AB Slite 1964–1967 Scrapped in 2006.
MS Visby 1964 Rederi AB Slite
Rederi Ab Ålandsfärjan 		1965, 1967–1970 (chartered) Scrapped in 2002.
MS Kapella 1967 Rederi Ab Ålandsfärjan 1967–1979 Scrapped in 2006.
MS Viking 2 1940 Rederi Ab Solstad 1968–1978 Scrapped in 2016.
MS Apollo 1970 Rederi AB Slite 1970–1974 Scrapped in 2020.
MS Viking 1 1970 Rederi Ab Sally 1970–1983 Scrapped in 2002.
MS Marella 1970 SF Line 1970–1981 Scrapped in 2004.
MS Viking 3 1972 Rederi Ab Sally 1972–1976 Scrapped at Aliağa, Turkey in 2022.
MS Diana 1972 Rederi AB Slite 1972–1979 Scrapped in 2021.
MS Viking 4 1973 Rederi Ab Sally 1973–1980 Scrapped in 2005.
MS Aurella 1973 SF Line 1973–1982 Scrapped in 2024.
MS Viking 5 1974 Rederi Ab Sally 1974–1981 Scrapped in 2015.
MS Viking 6 1967 Rederi Ab Sally 1974–1980 Scrapped in 2001.
SS Apollo III
MS Apollo III 		1962 Rederi AB Slite 1976–1981
1982–1989 		Sold for scrap, July 2008.
MS Turella 1979 SF Line 1979–1988 Since 2018 MS Rigel III for Ventouris Ferries.
MS Diana II 1979 Rederi AB Slite 1979–1992 Scrapped in Alang, India as Bluefort.
MS Viking Saga 1980 Rederi Ab Sally 1980–1986 Burnt in 1990; rebuilt 1992. Since 2007 MS Celestyal Cristal for Celestyal Cruises.
MS Viking Sally 1980 Rederi Ab Sally
Rederi AB Slite 		1980–1990 Sunk 1994 as MS Estonia.
MS Viking Song 1980 Rederi Ab Sally 1980–1985 Since 2010 MS Regina Baltica for Baleària.
MS Olympia 1986 Rederi AB Slite 1986–1993 Since 2023 MS Moby Orli for Moby Lines.
MS Athena 1989 Rederi AB Slite 1989–1993 Since 2001 MS Pearl of Scandinavia for DFDS Seaways.
MS Kalypso 1990 Rederi AB Slite 1990–1994 Scrapped in 2022.
HSC Condor 10
(marketed as Viking Express I) 		1992 Viking Line 1995 (chartered) Since 2002 HSC Condor 10 Condor Ferries.
MS Ålandsfärjan 1972 SF Line/Viking Line 1987–2008 Since 2008 MS Expedition for G.A.P. Shipping.
MS Isabella 1989 SF Line/Viking Line 1989–2013 Since 2024 MS Isabelle X is sold to Notamare Shipping.
MS Mariella 1985 SF Line/Viking Line 1985–2021 Since 2021 MS Mega Regina for Corsica Ferries.
MS Amorella 1988 SF Line/Viking Line 1988–2022 Since 2022 MS Mega Victoria for Corsica Ferries.
MS Rosella 1980 SF Line/Viking Line 1980–2023 Since 2023 MS Anemos for Aegean Speed Lines.
HSC Express
(marketed as Viking FSTR) 		1998 Viking Line 2017 (chartered) Since 2019 HSC Superexpress for Golden Star Ferries.

Additionally a large number of ferries were chartered during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s for seasonal traffic.

Ordered but never delivered

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Planned/project name Projected delivery Ordered by Gross tonnage Notes Current status
MS Europa 1993 Rederi AB Slite 59,912 GT Building project was almost complete when Rederi AB Slite went bankrupt. She was then completed for Silja Line as MS Silja Europa in 1993. In Tallink service.
MS Viking ADCC 2009 Viking Line 15,600 GT Building project cancelled by Viking Line due to Seville shipyard's inability to complete the ship on time. Hull was transferred to another shipyard in Vigo, where it was finished and delivered to Trasmediterránea as MS Villa de Teror in July 2019,10 years after original delivery date. Since 2021 Madeleine II for CTMA.
MS Hansa Express 1962 Rederi Ab Vikinglinjen 2,268 GRT Completed for Finnlines as MS Hansa Express, 1962. Scrapped in 2003.

Terminals

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Viking Line has six terminals, of which four are in Finland (two in mainland Finland and two in Åland), one in Sweden and one in Estonia.[39]

Viking Line terminal in Helsinki, Finland
Viking Line terminal in Turku, Finland

Finland

Viking Line terminal in Stockholm, Sweden

Sweden

  • Stockholm: Stadsgården. Served by a terminal bus line and the city ship Emelie.
Viking Line terminal in Tallinn, Estonia

Estonia

  • Tallinn: A-terminal. Served by Tallinn bus line 2 and tram lines 1 and 2.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Viking Line Annual report 2023, retrieved 2024-03-26" (PDF). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  2. ^ a b Viking Line: 40 Years of Ferry Service, retrieved 12. 10. 2007 Archived 22 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m (in Swedish) Eliasson, Thor-Alf: Viking Line i backspegeln. Mariehamns Tryckeri/Viking Line 2005. No ISBN code
  4. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Apollo (1964)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 26 May 2012., retrieved 24 October 2007
  5. ^ (in Finnish) FCBS Forum: laivojen nimien alkuperä ja merkitys, retrieved 12 October 2007
  6. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Marsk Stig (1940)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 26 May 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  7. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Coromuel (1973)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 31 July 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  8. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Puerto Vallarta (1974)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  9. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Azteca (1975)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 3 August 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  10. ^ (in Finnish) FCBS Forum: Matkustajalaivojen vaihtuminen matkustaja-autolautoiksi, retrieved 12 October 2007
  11. ^ (in Finnish) FCBS Forum: Sliten konkurssin syyt ja seuraukset + muuta 1980–90-l. taitteen Vikingistä, retrieved 12 October 2007
  12. ^ (in Finnish) FCBS Forum: Gunnar Eklundin lähtö Vikinglinjenistä, retrieved 12 October 2007
  13. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Europa (1993)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 4 September 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  14. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Athena (1989)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  15. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Kalypso (1990)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  16. ^ Viking Line: Chartered Vessels Archived 3 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 12 October 2007
  17. ^ "Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Frans Suell (1992)" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 25 May 2012., retrieved 12 October 2007
  18. ^ Malmberg, Thure; Stampehl, Marko (2007). Siljan viisi vuosikymmentä (in Finnish and English). Espoo: Frenckellin Kirjapaino Oy. pp. 168–169, 276, 285. ISBN 978-951-98405-7-4.
  19. ^ "Pörssitiedote". Viking Line press release (in Finnish). Viking Line. 25 January 2006. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  20. ^ "Silja Linen myynti". Viking Line press release (in Finnish). Viking Line. 12 June 2006. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  21. ^ a b Asklander, Micke. "M/S Viking XPRS (2008)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2008.
  22. ^ "M/S Rosella snart tillbaka i Roslagens skärgård: Viking Line ersätter M/S Ålandsfärjan med större fartyg" (PDF). Viking Line press release (in Swedish). Viking Line. 8 April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2008.
  23. ^ Viking Line press release: Viking Line orders new vessel Archived 29 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 12 October 2007
  24. ^ (in Swedish)Skeppsbyggnadskontrakt uppsagt, vikingline.fi, retrieved 2 February 2010
  25. ^ Enkvist, Liisa (18 April 2009). "Mikael Backman tuo ruotsinlaivoille villejä ideoita Karibian risteilijöiltä" (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2009.
  26. ^ "Viking Linen laivatilaus jo pitkällä" (in Finnish). Turun Sanomat. 19 January 2010. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  27. ^ a b "Viking väljer varv i sommar" (in Swedish). Åbo Underrättelser. Retrieved 19 January 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  28. ^ "Viking Line överväger gas som bränsle" (in Swedish). svenska.yle.fi. 18 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  29. ^ Reinikainen, Kari (22 June 2009). "Wind and lng power Wartsila's cruise ferry design". Cruise Business Online. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
  30. ^ Dahlblom, Patrick (23 April 2010). "Viking line vill ha besked före färjbeställning" (in Swedish). Nya Åland. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
  31. ^ "Viking Line och varvet STX Finland Oy tecknat ett intentionsavtal" (PDF). Viking Line. 25 October 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  32. ^ "Viking Line orders new vessel" (PDF). Viking Line. 22 December 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 September 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  33. ^ "Större, snålare och snällare än Grace" (in Swedish).
  34. ^ Sportlovskul för barnen med cirkusskola och Ville Viking, My News Desk, Viking Line 13 February 2015. Accessed on 27 April 2015.
  35. ^ Ville Vikingin lasten leikkipäivä, Helsinki This Week, no date given. Accessed on 27 April 2015.
  36. ^ Lapsille, Supermessut 2015. Accessed on 27 April 2015.
  37. ^ Ville Viking Club, Park Alandia Hotel. Accessed on 27 April 2015.
  38. ^ Ville Viking, CD record in the Finna database. Accessed on 27 April 2015.
  39. ^ Satamat, Viking Line official site. Accessed on 4 October 2024.
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