Tuule Liinid wins five-year contract for four island ferry routes

Estonia’s Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture has selected Tuule Liinid OÜ to operate ferry services connecting the islands of Vormsi, Kihnu and Manilaid with the mainland, as well as the route between Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, ERR reported.

The new contracts will run until September 30, 2032, on the mainland to Kihnu routes; October 14, 2032, on the mainland to Vormsi route; and October 31, 2032, on the Saaremaa to Hiiumaa route.

The existing contracts with Kihnu Veeteed AS will expire next year. Tuule Liinid will take over the Kihnu and Manilaid routes on September 30, the Rohuküla to Sviby route on October 14, and the Sõru to Triigi route on October 30.

In addition to price, the tender evaluation considered the replacement vessel and other quality criteria. Tuule Liinid received the maximum score for factors including the replacement vessel’s capacity, ice class and provision of a paid internship position.

The company’s total annual bid for all the routes was approximately 7.4 million euros excluding value-added tax, which the ministry said was in the same range as the current cost.

“State-owned vessels provide the connections on the small-island ferry routes. The main change under the new contract is that the new replacement vessel for the state-owned vessels will be more weatherproof, meaning it will also be able to operate in ice and will therefore ensure the island connections more reliably,” said Andres Ruubas, head of the public transport department at the ministry.

Compared with the current replacement vessel Reet, the new vessel will carry seven more passenger cars, for a total of 27. This is close to the capacity of the state-owned vessels Kihnu Virve, Ormsö and Soela, which can carry up to 32 passenger cars, Ruubas added.