New bid pauses Tampere decision on Suomen Hopealinjat takeover

A new bid for city-owned Suomen Hopealinjat Oy has prompted Tampere to pull a planned decision on the future of Pyhäjärvi ferry services from this week’s city board subcommittee agenda, according to YLE. The move follows earlier developments: the city proposed a municipal takeover of the troubled Hopealinjat ferries in mid‑October and the operator’s closure had already put Viikinsaari’s summer ferry in doubt in early October.

The city board’s corporate subcommittee was due to decide on Thursday how to secure traffic on Pyhäjärvi, but withdrew the item after the fresh offer arrived during the preparatory phase. Subcommittee chair Matti Helimo (National Coalition Party) said the proposal arrived a couple of days ago and is now under analysis. An extraordinary meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday to consider it.

The city says its goals are to sell the shareholding, guarantee ferry connections at Pyhäjärvi and Viikinsaari, develop activity on Viikinsaari, and reduce municipal costs and financial risk. Earlier bids were rejected after officials concluded one would have left the city as a long-term financier while another would have kept the shares with a new operator merely leasing the vessels. In August, it looked likely that Pyhäjärvi services would cease.