Viking Line, the listed Finnish cruise ferry group, has reported a net loss of €14.2 million for rthe first half of the year, a 31.7% increase compared to the sanme period last year. Group net sales remained largely changed at €233.1 million. 

"The strengthening of the Swedish krona had a positive impact on revenue but also contributed to a heightened cost situation in the Group. The net effect was positive for the Group," Viking Line said in a statement.

The number of passengers on Viking Line’s vessels totalled 2,928,132 (2,937,115 in first half of 2011). Viking Line’s cargo volume amounted to 61,494 cargo units (56,656). During the first six months of the financial year 2012, Viking Line strengthened its market share on the Helsinki (Finland)–Tallinn (Estonia) route by 0.6 percentage points to 25.2% and on the Helsinki–Mariehamn (Åland Islands, Finland)–Stockholm (Sweden) route by 0.8 percentage points to 45.6%.

Market share on the Turku (Finland)−Mariehamn/Långnäs (Åland)−Stockholm route was at the year-earlier level, 49.9%. In cruise services between Stockholm and Mariehamn, Viking Line’s market share decreased by an estimated 2.9 percentage points to 50.3% due to a smaller number of days in service. Its market share on the short route over the Sea of Åland increased by 3.3 percentage points to 45.5%due to a larger number of days in service.

The Group thus had a total market share in its service area of an estimated 34.2% (34.5%. Viking Line achieved a cargo market share of an estimated 20.6% (19.7% in the first six months of 2011).