The virus not only makes people sick, it also damages the health of those companies that seem more solid.
Viking Line, one of the most important cruise and cargo ship companies in the Baltic region, will soon begin layoff negotiations with its ground staff.
As the company explained in a statement on Monday, the cooperation negotiations will affect the company's entire ground staff, 570 workers in Finland, Sweden, Estonia and the Åland archipelago. According to Viking Line estimates, about 200 of those jobs would be at risk.
Viking Line says the current coronavirus pandemic has "seriously damaged" the group's operating conditions. Since March 2020, its operations have been marked by travel restrictions imposed by the government. Especially the limitations applied to operations between Finland and Sweden have hurt the shipping company's business.
"Weakened demand"
After half a year of difficulties, the company now aims to reorganize its operations by adapting human resources to "weakened demand."
"It is difficult to assess how long the coronavirus pandemic will last and how it will affect the company's earnings, cash flow and financial position in the future. In this challenging situation, adjustment measures are unfortunately necessary," says Jan Hanses, CEO of Viking Line.
Negotiations will begin on 1 September in Finland and Åland and are expected to last six weeks. Similar talks will be held in Estonia, the company said.
