Lower operating expenses and reduction in dry docking costs helped Viking Line, the listed Finnish cruise ferry group, to report better interim results for both the second quarter and first half of the current year than in corresponding periods in 2014.

Group net profit in the second quarter rose to €2.5 million from €1.4 million in the same period last year. Revenues fell slightly, to €134.1 million from €137.5 million. In the first six months of the year, the group cut its net loss to €5.7 million from €14.2 million a year earlier. Revenues decreased to €239.0 million from €241.0 million.

The company said it had dry docked the 1985 built Mariella, which operates between Helsinki and Stockholm, during the review period. New restaurant concepts were introduced on board the 37,583 gross ton ship and these had been received well by the company's customers.

Viking Line, which operates services between Finland and Sweden plus Finland and Estonia with a seven strong fleet, said its passenger volume remained largely unchanged at 2.39 million in the first half of the year and that its market share increased by 0.5 percentage points to 34.2%.

Looking ahead, the company said continued weakness of the economy in Finland, its principal source market, remains a negative factor, but on the other hand, significantly lower fuel costs are likely to help the company to improve its full year result on that of last year. In 2014, the group made a net profit of €30.6 million. Most of the operating profit of the group is generated in the third quarter of each year as this the main holiday season.