Boskalis Nordic Today No.02/2018-2019

MANAGING DIRECTOR’S COLUMN

03

STRENGTH IN THE TEAM GAME

we can commit more closely to a team game similar to that in Sweden, supporting and encouraging each other.

ATTENTION TO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY Terramare had a record year in 2018. We have had interesting projects in Finland, Sweden and a little further afield, such as in Uruguay and India. When the amount of work is growing quickly, managing and directing projects require additional attention on our part. In terms of occupational safety, we have not developed as we would have wished and we have not, unfortunately, managed to avoid acci- dents and serious near miss situations. Some near miss situations and accidents could have been avoid- ed through better advance planning. Serious accidents in projects have included the spinning of a tubular pile on to a worker’s legs, an excavating machine falling into the sea and a dumper suddenly catching fire. The content of this column would have been darker in tone, even desolate, if matters had taken a more unfortunate turn in the situa- tions mentioned above. For many years we have adopted the theme that: “Work must be done safely or not at all.” Now, we have had more luck at times in what we do than skill in working safely. In previous years, we in Terramare have been pathfinders in the infrastructure sector in occupational safety, and I know that we will also continue to lead the way on this crucial issue in the future. Now, we only have to roll up our sleeves once again and work together, particularly with respect to the advance planning of work. The team and each individual person must be able to ask themselves openly and honestly whether we have really done eve- rything we can to ensure that work is carried out safely. We will surely put things right when we address the safety issue resolutely and think clearly about what we do. A little occupa- tional safety training and revision will be no bad thing for us. We will determinedly invest in this, both now and in the future.

2018 was a busy year in the marine construction sector, and the outlook for 2019 in Finland and Sweden is reasonably good, boosted by a number of key projects. In Finland, the civil and marine engineering market is expected to contract by 2-4 per cent this year as housing construction slows down. In sporting terms, it has been customary in Finland to push construction to the limits and to see how long it continues before it hits the wall. In Sweden, they are known to play the game in a different kind of way, particularly in team sports. In Sweden, in accordance with the team game spirit, a joint 12- year long-term national plan has been prepared for the construc- tion and modernisation of railways, highways and waterways. The state has allocated to projects SEK 700 billion (nearly EUR 70 bil- lion) up to 2029. Decisions have been prepared carefully with op- erators in the sector, and all of the political parties have committed to the investment decisions, irrespective of who has government responsibility at any given time. The Luleå and Gothenburg port and shipping channel projects are among the waterway projects included in budgeting. In Finland, too, a good, open and wide-ranging market dialogue is already under way between major customers, service providers and planners, of which the round-table meetings of the Finnish Transport Agency and Infra Ry are examples. These are really rewarding events for developing the sector, markets, forms of pro- curement and a joint team game. It is to be hoped that in Finland

I WISH A GOOD START TO 2019!

Hannu Tomperi MANAGING DIRECTOR | TERRAMARE OY

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.