Boskalis Nordic Today No. 01/2019

MANAGING DIRECTOR’S COLUMN

03

THOUGHTS ON THE WAYS OF THE WORLD

M y summer vacation has just got off to a good start. I am writing this piece on board a flight, on a celebratory trip to Southeast Asia. My son is playing games and my wife’s main interest right now is a movie showing on screen. Why are we on our way to Asia for a couple of weeks, visiting Singa- pore, Indonesia and Malaysia? I found inspiration for the trip last Christmas when I read Hans Rosling’s excellent book Factfulness. It revealed, among other things, that Asia’s population will rise by around one billion over the next 20 years, roughly equivalent to the current total population of Europe. It will be good to see things with my own eyes and get an update on what the bustle and con- struction are like in Asia right now. Many familiar Boskalis colleagues are currently there, building new harbours and carrying out major rock-filling projects for the residential needs of growing coastal cities. Terramare has also been involved in a couple of underwater drilling and blasting projects in the region, and new projects are constantly being planned. Asia’s rapid population growth and its economic impact are also clearly visible in Finland. On many mornings I have found myself on business trips travelling among Asian tourists and business travellers at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Also, in Lapland in early spring, one no longer needs to compete only with impatient Finnish skiers; many different kinds and more peaceful skiing styles can also be seen on the ski trails. It is well worth marketing Finland as a bridge to Asia and to continually develop transport connections by land, sea and air, so that more and more euros find their way to Finland along with Asian tourists and investors. Correspondingly, good logistics and transport connections will support the competitiveness of Finnish products in expanding markets. Good examples of exploiting growth potential and opportunities in Finland include, for ex- ample, several bioproduct mill projects, the planning of high-speed rail links between growth centres, and an innovative tunnel project between the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and Tallinn. From the perspective of marine construction, all investments made in tour- ism, industry and logistics always provide fine opportunities also for Ter- ramare. Let’s be bold and innovative, and support projects being planned on all fronts with Finnish interests in mind. Right now, we still have five hours until the plane lands. I guess I better close my eyes and gather strength for this family vacation.

Wishing a fine summer to you all!

Hannu Tomperi

The Boskalis WAY OF WORKING quality management system aims to achieve operational excellence with a clear focus on safe and sustainable solutions and a consistent client approach. More than just systems and procedures, the Boskalis Way of Working provides a consistent approach towards the initiation, planning, execu- tion and completion of our projects. At the same time it promotes diversity in our teams with experts, facilitates innovation whilst caring for people and the environment with a commitment to act with respect and integrity. This is how we create new horizons for all our stakeholders.