Viking Line announces world’s largest electric passenger-car ferry concept

Shipping company Viking Line on Friday (6 June) unveiled a new vessel concept, which upon realisation, would be the world’s largest electric passenger-car ferry.

The company said it is preparing to launch entirely emission-free service between Helsinki and Tallinn and that its vessel concept is proof that a green maritime corridor across the Gulf of Finland could be realised as early as the beginning of the 2030s.

The vessel concept, named Helios, developed by Viking Line will feature a battery capacity of approximately 85-100 megawatt hours (MWh) and could transport 2,000 passengers across the Gulf of Finland in just over two hours. 

The length of the concept vessel is 195 metres, the width 30 metres and the speed approximately 23 knots. The freight capacity on board is approximately 2 kilometres. Compared to the silhouette of traditional vessels, Helios mainly stands out due its lack of a funnel.

Helios is based on a research collaboration between Viking Line and Rauma shipyard as well as other partners. The concept is specifically designed for the Helsinki–Tallinn route, as the 80 kilometre, or 43 nautical mile, route is ideally suited for electric vessel traffic. The electric vessel is always charged when the ship is in port. The vessel requires a charging capacity of over 30 megawatt hours.

Viking Line’s CEO Jan Hanses, said: “Helios heralds a new era in maritime transport, just like the first sail, steam, and motor ships did in their time. The concept proves that large-scale emission-free maritime transport is no longer a utopia. 

“The world’s largest fully electric passenger-car ferries could be in operation as early as the beginning of the next decade. We are strongly committed to realizing the ambitious vision that Helios represents.”

The newly announced electric passenger-car ferry concept serves as a basis for continued planning and for the invitation to tender to shipyards. This spring, Viking Line submitted a funding application to the EU’s Innovation Fund for the construction of a ferry.

Photo credit: Viking Line
Published: 10 June, 2025