ELY Centre to improve the environmental friendliness and service level of ferry traffic in the Finnish Lakeland

The procurement decision states that a decision has been made to award a service contract to tender winner company Torghatten Nord As.

A total of two tenders were submitted for the tendering process for the procurement of road traffic ferry services at the twelve ferry sites in Lakeland Finland. A tender was entered by Finland Archipelago Shipping Ltd and Torghatten Nord As. The comparison prices of the tenders were:

• Torghatten Nord As                             282 472 904,32 €
• Suomen Lauttaliikenne Oy                  351 356 970,24 €

The ELY Centre for Southwest Finland has decided, by means of a procurement decision made on 1.12.2022, to award a service contract to the winning company Torghatten Nord As. The procurement decision is not yet legally valid.

The procurement decision itself has not yet established a contractual relationship between the ELY Centre and the winning tenderer. This will be established once both parties have signed a contract. The procurement contract can be signed no earlier than 14 days from now.

The procurement highlights efficiency and green choices

The procurement decision made now for the 12 ferry sites in the Finnish Lakeland is part of the procurement strategy, which will result in the renewal of ferry fleet, a substantial improvement to the environmental friendliness of ferry traffic and in the elimination of weight restrictions at ferry sites. The contract to be concluded later will contribute to a transition to environmentally-friendly and low-emission transport and will promote cost-efficiency through new hybrid ferry technology. Carbon dioxide emissions from transport will decrease by at least 50% from their average level in 2010-2015, while ferry capacity will increase and service quality will improve.

The procurement in the Finnish Lakeland will be the first of the four 20-year service packages, and in 2023-2027 procurements will be continue to be made for the other three procurement packages. In 20-year procurements and contracts, consideration is given to the possibility of implementing eight nationally profitable bridge sites and replacing ferry traffic with a bridge during the contract period. The long-term objective of the contracts is to develop transport towards a carbon-neutral transport service and to meet transport demand and develop ferry traffic as part of an efficient transport system. The contracts will apply to all 40 ferry sites on public roads, comprising four clear entities:

• Road traffic ferry service Finnish Lakeland 2025-2045
• Road traffic ferry service Archipelago Sea I (cable ferries) 2027-2047, competitive tendering 2023
• Road traffic ferry service Archipelago Sea II (ferry vessels) 2030-2050, competitive tendering 2025
• Road traffic ferry service (geographically fragmented ferry sites) 2031-2051, competitive tendering 2027

The capacity and transmission capacity of ferry traffic at the 12 ferry sites in the Finnish Lakeland will change at the following ferry sites, as the now tendered long-term transport contract enters into force in 2025-2027:

Hanhivirta, Enonkoski

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 70 tonnes to 90 tonnes.

Hirvisalmi, Juuka

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 90 tonnes.

Improvements and modifications of the ferry fairway must be carried out at the ferry site in the next few years so that a larger ferry can start operating at the ferry site.

Hätinvirta, Puumala

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 90 tonnes.

Improvements and modifications of the ferry fairway must be carried out at the ferry site in the next few years so that a larger ferry can start operating at the ferry site.

Kietävälä, Puumala

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 80 tonnes.

Koivukanta, Savonlinna

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 90 tonnes.

Improvements and modifications of the ferry fairway must be carried out at the ferry site in the next few years so that a larger ferry can start operating at the ferry site.

Kortesalmi, Kuopio

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 90 tonnes.

The shoreline at the ferry site must be modified in 2023-2025 so that a larger ferry can start operating at the ferry site.

Kuparonvirta, Mikkeli

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 80 tonnes.

Kyläniemi, Ruokolahti

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 90 tonnes.

The shoreline at the ferry site must be modified in 2023-2025 so that a larger ferry can start operating at the ferry site. A backup ferry site will be built at the same ferry site.

Lamposaari, Lappeenranta

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 44 tonnes to 80 tonnes.

The shoreline at the ferry site must be modified in 2023-2025 so that a larger ferry can start operating at the ferry site. 

Puutossalmi, Kuopio

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 130 tonnes to 180 tonnes.

The shoreline at the ferry site must be modified in 2023-2025 so that a larger ferry can start operating at the ferry site.

Rongonsalmi, Puumala

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 44 tonnes to 80 tonnes.

Tappuvirta, Savonlinna

The load capacity of the ferry will increase from 60 tonnes to 90 tonnes.

Further information: ELY Centre for Southwest Finland, Road Engineer Tapani Jaakkola, tel. +358 295 022 808, tapani.jaakkola@ely-keskus.fi