TS Laevad

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TS Laevad OÜ
IndustryMaritime transportation
Founded19 June 2014
Headquarters
Tallinn
,
Estonia
Area served
West Estonian archipelago
ParentPort of Tallinn
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

TS Laevad ("TS Ships") is an Estonian ferry company which operates two routes between the Estonian mainland and the islands of Hiiumaa and Muhu in the Baltic Sea. (Muhu is connected by a causeway to Estonia's largest island, Saaremaa).[1]

The company is a fully owned subsidiary of the Port of Tallinn, which is in turn majority-owned by the Estonian state.[2] The state subsidises the ferry routes with a sum of over €20 million per annum.[3]

The company operates five ferries, of which four (Leiger, Piret, Tiiu and Tõll) were new-builds delivered in 2016/17. These four ferries each has a capacity of 700 passengers and 150 cars. Regula is a smaller vessel, built in 1971, which is used as a reserve.[1] An additional sixth ferry has been ordered and is expected to be delivered in 2024.[3]

Routes[]

Two routes across the Väinameri are operated by TS Laevad.

Route Destination Crossing time Departures
Rohuküla–Heltermaa Hiiumaa 1 hr 15 mins 1½ hour interval
Virtsu–Kuivastu Muhu for Saaremaa 25 mins 35 min interval

History[]

TS Laevad replaced the previous operator, SLK, on 1 October 2016[4] after submitting a public procurement bid 64 million euros less than its predecessor.[5] It is contracted to operate the routes until 2026.[6]

As none of TS Laevad's new ferries were delivered in time for the start of the company's contract, three vessels from Vjatšeslav Leedo's Saaremaa Shipping Company (SLK) were chartered as an interim solution. The Sefine Shipyard in Turkey and the Remontowa shipyard in Poland paid TS Laevad a total of nearly €11 million in late fees.[7] All four new ferries were in service by the end of April 2017.[8]

In 2018, the company's ferries carried a total of 2.3 million passengers and 999,000 vehicles.[9]

In 2019 the ferry Tõll had batteries installed which were expected to reduce the vessel's diesel consumption by 20%. It thus became the first hybrid passenger vessel in Estonia.[10] In 2021 the European Commission committed to financing the full electrification of the ferry Piret, with diesel engines being used only in severe ice conditions.[11]

In July 2021 Tõll collided with the berth at Kuivastu Harbour causing damage to the berth, the ferry and some vehicles on board including that of Estonian president Kersti Kaljulaid.[12] The company stated that the collision was caused by a technical failure resulting in a loss of engine power as the ferry approached the berth.[13]

Ferries of TS Laevad[]

  • Leiger

  • Piret

  • Tiiu

  • Tõll

  • Regula

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Praamid.ee. (Official website of TS Laevad OÜ).
  2. ^ Port of Tallinn. The subsidiary company of Port of Tallinn, TS Laevad OÜ, has published a call for tenders to purchase ferries.
  3. ^ a b ERR News. Ministry plans to buy up majority of island ferries.
  4. ^ ERR News. Saaremaa Shipping Company to cover for overdue TS Laevad ferries in €5.5m delay.
  5. ^ ERR News. Supreme Court rejects domestic ferry service procurement complaint.
  6. ^ ERR News. Economic affairs minister applies for long-term island bridge link plan.
  7. ^ Postimees News. Late delivery leaves ferry operator in the black.
  8. ^ ERR News. Fourth and final new ferry to enter island service on Friday.
  9. ^ ERR News. TS Laevad serves record number of passengers on island routes in 2018.
  10. ^ Offshore Energy. Estonia’s first hybrid ferry starts service.
  11. ^ ERR Uudised. TS Laevad sai EL-ilt lubaduse rahastada parvlaeva Piret elektrifitseerimist. (in Estonian)
  12. ^ ERR News. Ferry hits berth at Kuivastu Harbor.
  13. ^ ERR Uudised. TS Laevad: Tõllul ei olnud jõudu pidurdamiseks, laevajuht tegi kõik õigesti. (in Estonian)

External links[]

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