This was from a total of €111 million Finland provided in various subsidies to all shipping lines, with main recipients including Viking Line, which received €26.3 million and Eckerö, which was granted €8.3 million.

The support measures are aimed at keeping services running under the Finnish flag and retaining the nearly 5,000 jobs which the three lines between them provide.

The move comes at a time when Finland's government is looking at making cuts, with Finance Minister Riikka Purra recently proposing abolishing wage subsidies for maritime transport workers from next year, which would save state coffers an estimated €36 million, it is claimed.

Concerns have been raised in Finland that cuts might see vessels starting to sail under the Swedish or Estonian flags.

In the case of Sweden, companies operating ships under its flag would get similar support levels from the state, but only in respect of those employees who reside in Sweden and are connected to the local social security system, Yle reported.

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