Boskalis Nordic Today No.02/2018-2019

CUSTOMER’S NEWS | KIMMO NASKI, PORT OF HAMINAKOTKA’S CEO:

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STRONG, NEW GROWTH IN ALL ASPECTS OF PORT ACTIVITY’

WWW.HAMINAKOTKA.COM

portunities for Finnish softwood pulp, for example as a raw material substituting for plastics, might make this product a ‘new Nokia’ for us,” emphasises Naski. “The decision to locate the pulp terminal at our Mussalo Harbour is based on effi- cient infrastructure, excellent rail links and versatile shipping options, and of course the opportunity to build at our harbour a large terminal area where pulp is handled easily and smoothly. In addition, our deep fairway provides operating opportunities for the largest cargo vessels in the Baltic Sea,” explains Naski. “From the perspective of our port’s growth in pulp traffic, it is also significant that we have signed a letter of intent with Finnpulp on the transport through HaminaKotka of the export logistics of the world’s largest softwood pulp mill, being planned for Kuo- pio. And new growth is also emerging with UPM’s plan to build a biorefinery at our port,” adds Naski. “In addition to the major projects and plans mentioned above, we are involved in two other large world-class projects. One of these is the Belgian Sarens Group’s reshipping, via the Port of Hamina, of giant modules to the oil fields of Kazakhs- tan. Overall, the Sarens Group’s project is currently the largest project under way in the world. The second large project is the Nord Stream II gas pipeline project, in which Port of Hamina is acting a key har- bour,” continues Naski. “In other words, we can state, in summa- ry, that Port of HaminaKotka is on a real growth track, although we are fully aware of the need to keep our feet firmly on the ground. I believe, however, in the sustai- nability of the Finnish forest industry’s pro- duct exports and in the profitability of new forms of activity and services in the long term. We are also pleased to have recei- ved EU support for the pulp terminal port expansion. It is a significant contribution and covers around one fifth of the total in- vestment,” says Naski in conclusion.

tion is how we will manage to transfer such apartment block size elements for installa- tion in the quay line. People are amazed when we tell them that the elements will be lifted and transported to the installation site by a floating crane,” says Juslenius, de- scribing the attention his slipform casting site has received.” All of the quay elements were completed by the end of November last year. Now they will wait in a row on the embankment for the astonishment of passers-by until the spring, when they will be lifted one by one and transported for installation in the D- section quay line, on the deepened and levelled sea bottom. “Of these huge elements, only 60 centi- metres will remain visible above the sea in the quay line, because during installation they will be sunk to a depth of over 18 me- tres. The visible quay profile will ultimately consist of the coping beam of the retaining quay wall, which will be cast on top of the elements,” says Juslenius. Along with all of the initial stages, the ex- pansion work of the Mussalo Harbour’s D section, ordered by Port of Hamina, will continue in spring 2019 with, among other things, quay line levelling work, installation of the retaining wall elements, completion of the quay with full equipment and acces- sories, and finishing of the breakwater. Terramare Project Manager Jani Vyyryläinen , who has overall respon- sibility for the contract, is monitoring the development of the project confidently. “Whatever the size of the project, I can only say that everything is made possible purely and simply by skilled, cooperative and professional personnel. It is a valuable resource in which we trust when taking for- ward with confidence even a large project like this,” concludes Vyyryläinen. NEW WORK STAGES IN THE SPRING 2019

P ort of HaminaKotka’s CEO, Kimmo Naski D.Sc.(Econ.), has managed the port company in its present form, after the merger of the Ports of Kotka and Hamina, since 2011. This period has been marked by the aftermath of the glo- bal recession and the recovery from it. For Port of HaminaKotka, however, recovery has meant a strong growth track through which the company has risen to become the fourth largest container port on the Bal- tic Sea. “A strong upswing happened in 2016 when our port’s transport volumes started to grow substantially, but alongside this many significant things have also hap- pened, in fact in all aspects of port activi- ty,” says Naski with satisfaction. “The most recent of these is the agree- ment reached with UPM and Steveco on the investment in a large pulp terminal at our Mussalo Harbour in Kotka. The outlook for pulp exports is excellent, and I believe that our investment in the port expansion connected with the pulp terminal will be rewarding in long term. The world market price, demand and further processing op-

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