BON VOYAGE: The Baltic Kristina, anchored since last fall, will have to move over for Tallink's Fantaasia passenger liner - the new maritime connection between the Latvian and Swedish capitals.
RIGA - After months of wrangling, Riga Free Port and Tallink, the Baltics' largest passenger shipping company, have signed an agreement on establishing regular ferry service between Riga and Stockholm.
Port spokesman Karlis Leiskalns said Tallink could launch the inaugural ferry within the next six weeks.
He said that Tallink, which for the time being will be the only passenger shipping company sailing to and from Riga, planned to carry about 170,000 passengers between the Latvian and Swedish capitals this year, though that number will increase to 300,000 in the coming years.
Leiskalns said that some 1 million lats (1.4 million euros) would be invested in upgrading the Riga port's infrastructure in the near future.
Previously Tallink had been planning to use its passenger liner Fantaasia on the Riga-Stockholm route, and the Regina Baltica ferry later in May, depending on the success of the ferry route.
Considering that Riga will host the World Hockey Championships in May, and that Sweden took the gold medal in men's ice hockey, many Swedes are likely to show an interest in taking the trip to Riga.
Currently there is no regular passenger ferry traffic between Riga and Stockholm, as operator Rigas Juras Linijas (Riga Sea Lines), which is owned by the Riga City Council, the free port and several individual businessmen, terminated its operations last October due to insolvency.
Meanwhile, Tallink received pleasant news from the north as well, as Helsinki's port company announced it would soon begin reconstruction of its west terminal, which should be completed in time for the launching of Galaxy, Tallink's new ferry that will sail between Tallinn and Helsinki.
According to reports, a new passenger pavilion will be built along with a new boarding bridge for passengers since the landing deck of Tallink's new fast ship lies five meters higher than that of the fast boats plying the same route.
The reconstruction will cost 14.6 million euros, the Helsingin Sanomat daily reported.
The Finnish travel portal Matkavekka reported that the Galaxy, which can go at speeds of up to 22 knots, will start regular operation on May 10 and will sail between the two capitals from Sunday to Wednesday.
The Galaxy is to replace the Romantika on the Helsinki-Tallinn route.
