134 REPORT Fifteen years ago, Giedrius Valainis and Genadij Zarikov co-founded a turnkey interior outfitting company in Lithuania that started with a team of just five workers. Three years into their venture, they won their first big order and, since then, Zarikov says the company has undergone “unprecedented growth, with work doubling, tripling and quadrupling all at once”. The last two years particularly showcases this expansion, both in terms of the size and complexity of the projects and the profile of the clients. In April and May 2023, Aros Marine completed one of its largest refit projects to date – on Hurtigruten Norway’s passenger ship, Trollfjord. Aros Marine refurbished 235 staterooms, 23 suites and all the related corridors. It also renovated over 2,500 square metres of public zones, including the Panorama Lounge, à la carte restaurant, brasserie seating area and main dining area. Another notable project for Aros Marine was on Tycho Brahe, a batteryelectric ferry owned by Øresundslinjen and operated by ForSea on the route connecting Helsingør in Denmark with Helsingborg in Sweden. The company revamped decks four and five, with a team of 100 employees executing the work in 22 days, covering Tycho Brahe’s main hall, catering spaces, the shop, lounge, restaurant, lobby bar, public areas and staircases. Aros Marine has experienced remarkable growth over the past year, with a significant project worth more than €40 million ($44 million) contributing to its success. With many other projects lined up through 2028, and expected to bring in more than €130 million ($143.2 million), the interior outfitter is sure to witness continued and sustained growth. “Promoting Lithuania is also a very important and rewarding task,” says Valainis. “Twenty years ago, nobody knew much about the country, so to see Lithuania’s name flying high makes me very happy and at Aros Marine, we are determined to innovate and be part of the biggest turnkey projects in the cruise industry.” Continued growth and success Aros Marine’s 15-year anniversary comes at a time when the interior outfitter is experiencing fantastic growth In 2023, Aros Marine completed two of its biggest refit projects – on Hurtigruten Norway’s Trollfjord (left) and ForSea’s Tycho Brahe
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