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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 17:35
Tallink's subsidiary also loses EUR 34 mln fairway dues dispute in Finnish court
On Dec. 8,
2017 the top court made the same decision regarding AS Tallink Grupp and the group's subsidiary AS Hansatee Cargo.
"Tallink has three companies
involved in the dispute. Last year these two companies were separately taken
out to create a precedent," CFO of Tallink Grupp Veiko Haavapuu told BNS. The most recent decision is just part of the formal
process, he added.
Previously, on Feb. 27, 2015, the Helsinki District
Court announced its judgment in the case between a number of Finnish and
foreign ship operators and the Finnish state regarding fairway charges levied
during the years 2001-2004. According to the judgment, the Finnish state was
required to pay 12.4 million euros to Viking Line, 17 million euros to Finnlines and 34.1
million euros to companies of Tallink. Of the latter, AS Tallink Grupp would have received 13.2
million euros, AS Hansatee Cargo 400,000 euros and Tallink Silja Oy 20.5 million euros.
The shippers went to court after it was determined
that the Finnish law on fairway dues valid until Jan. 1, 2006 ran counter to EU
law and violated the freedom of provision of cross-border services through
allowing Finland to charge vessels operating international routes a higher
fairway fee than the vessels operating domestic routes.