Ts Laevad News Today

Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Riina Sikkut (SDE) says the state will pass on an opportunity to purchase four ferries which connect the mainland of Estonia with its major islands.

Any additional, newly-built ferry to serve Estonia's two main islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, will need to use teach and fuel which fits in with environmental requirements, the state says.

As the western Estonian islands are popular destinations during the looming Midsummer holidays, additional ferry tips will be added over the coming days, the Transport Administration said.

Ferry ticket prices between the mainland and the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa will rise from March 1 in a move which on local government leader says was made over the heads of authorities and businesses on the islands. The price rises do not apply to island residents.

Authorities are investigating an incident last December which forced the MS Megastar ro-ro ferry to turn back to port shortly after departing Tallinn, following engine failure.

The number of passengers traveling on TS Laevad ferries between Estonia's two main islands and the mainland rose 4 percent on year to November. The volume of vehicles rose even more over the same period, by 6 percent, the company says.

Ferry company TS Laevad, which serves Estonia's major islands, linking them to the mainland, is waiting for an answer to the question of whether the state is planning to purchase more passenger ferries. At the same time, the chairman of the company's board, Indrek Randveer, says he believes they are participating in a new procurement process.

Estonia's two largest islands, Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, saw a greater number of visitors in summer 2021 than the previous summer, and cargo transit in particular grew over that time.

0"> View from the bridge of the Panda, the ice-breaker connecting the island of Abruka with the much larger island of Saaremaa at present. Source: ERR Despite the recent cold snap, traveling to Estonias islands over ice roads is still largely closed. While regular connections by air and sea are running, Estonias smaller islands often have to be more flexible and adapt to conditions in their winter-time transport links, ETV news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" (AK) reported Sunday ...