Aktsiaselts Tallink Grupp - NASDAQ OMX Baltic

certificates for all our vessels, which evidence that safety surveys have been carried out in respect of the vessels
and that they have been deemed compliant with applicable safety requirements.
In 2000 and 2001, HT Laevateenindus arranged for several major modifications to be made to our vessels in
order to ensure the highest level of navigational and operational safety. HT Laevateenindus also renewed all
lifesaving appliances onboard our vessels. As a result, all of our vessels are now fitted with modern, high-quality
lifesaving appliances, life rafts and fast rescue boats.
Currently, all of our vessels are fitted with VDRs (Voyage Data Recorder or “Black Box”) according to the
IMO (International Maritime Organization) regulations in order to provide a useful tool for investigation, training
and evaluation. AIS (Automatic Identification Systems), a useful navigational safety tool used during voyages,
have already been installed on the vessels.
HT Laevateenindus oversees the training and certification of crewmembers and ensures the compliance of
crewmembers’ training with the STCW convention. All training and certification activities are carried out in
cooperation with Estonian training centers and maritime academies. Vessel personnel undergo regular training
according to applicable regulations to ensure readiness for possible emergency situations.
We believe that all lifesaving equipment onboard our vessels meets the highest safety standards. We
emphasize the establishment of good seamanship practices and nautical safety standards.
Environment
Environmental issues are one of the highest priorities of the Tallink Safety Management System. Vessels are
maintained and operated in accordance with the MARPOL convention (International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution from Ships) in order to ensure that air and sea pollution is kept at the lowest practicable
level. Our newest vessel Victoria I has, and the New Cruise Ferry will have, an operational exhaust gas catalyzer
system installed and Romantika has been designed to allow for the installation of such system. The applicable air
pollution level requirements are expected to be tightened and due to this the environmental systems in some of
our older vessels will be modified during the vessels’ annual servicing. Our vessels may now begin to use fuel oil
with lower sulphur content.
All of our vessels have received all required international oil pollution prevention certificates. During their
respective navigation periods, our vessels also hold valid sewage pollution prevention certificates to the extent
required. Handling of garbage on the vessels is regularly recorded and several of our vessels also hold a special
garbage pollution prevention attestation. As the certificates are issued for limited periods, we regularly apply for
the renewal of the certificates before their expiry.
We (as well as some of our competitors) operate high-speed ferries on the Helsinki-Tallinn route. According
to a number of articles recently published in the Estonian press, there is a problem with stern waves of highspeed
ferries, which may cause damage to the shores and port of an Estonian island, Aegna. To our knowledge,
several investigations have been conducted regarding this matter, but it has not been proven that waves of the
high-speed ferries cause damage to the shores and port. As a result, no material restrictions to the traffic of highspeed
ferries have been adopted or proposed by the Estonian authorities.
Trademarks
We have registered the trademark “Tallink” in Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Germany. The registration
process in Russia is pending. In Finland, the owner of the trademark is our Finnish subsidiary Tallink Finland
Oy. We have also registered “Tallink” as a Community trademark (CTM). In addition, have several other
registered trademarks, such as “Hansatee,” “Hansaway,” “Hansalink” and “Hansatee Baltic Service.”
We do not own any patents, utility models or geographical indications, nor do we own, hold or use material
proprietary industrial and/or intellectual property rights with respect to which we have not filed a patent,
trademark or copyright application. For purposes of our business, we use various types of software programs
under license agreements.
We are currently using the following domain names: “tallink.ee,” “hansatee.ee” and “tallink.com.” The
registered user of the domain name “tallink.se” is Tallink Sverige AB and, of the domain name “tallink.fi,”
Tallink Finland Oy. Additionally, we have filed applications for the registration of the domain names “tallink.lv”
and “tallinks.lv.”
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