Action Port – The newsletter of Port of Kokkola 2/2022

CHIEF EDITOR: Torbjörn Witting EDITORIAL STAFF: Jorma Uusitalo LAYOUT: Olli Ilmanen/Creamedia

PRINTED IN: Waasa Graphics Oy PHOTOS: Jorma Uusitalo Ulla Nikula Alexandra Haapala Kokkolan Satama Marilena Saukkosaari

COVER PHOTO: Wallenious SOL’s new container vessels, Botnia Enabler and Baltic Ena bler, are calling at Kokkola every week.

PHOTO: JORMA UUSITALO

The change is progressing favourably, thanks to the new cargo flows

The Russian horrible invasion in Ukraine took us all by surprise in February. In addition to the human suffering, the war has also affected business in many ways. For Port of Kokkola, the invasion has accelerated the reducing dependence on Russian transit traffic. All Russian traffic through the port of Kokkola has been stopped since the beginning of the year.

Fortunately, the change phase is progressing positively thanks to new customers and new goods flows. Work to get new traffic has been ongoing for many years, and it could not have been a success at a better time. The Port of Kokkola would therefore like to thank its loyal domestic customers, and our customers in the Kok kola Industry Park area for their new goods flows and opportunities. In addition to them, a big thank you goes to the operators working in the wind power produc tion, which form a whole new customer segment for Port of Kokkola. They have, in a positive way, almost buried us under the wind turbine components that are passing through the port.

After half a year, the port finances were, indeed, much better than anticipated in the early part of the year. The new goodss and customer relationships have eco nomically offset the elimination of Russian transit traffic tons. At the same time, new varieties of goods have employed the staff of the companies that operate in the port.

It has also been great to follow the news from the big industries in the Kokkola In dustrial Park (KIP). For decades, the companies located in KIP have been important for the Finnish exports and have brought jobs to the people in our area. Today, the companies in KIP are strongly involved in promoting the green transition. This is also an important role for Port of Kokkola, as we handle, in addition to wind power production, logistics related to the battery chemical production.

This is a great way to move forward!

There is now capacity in the container traffic

In the summer, container traffic in the Port of Kokkola entered a new era; Wallenius SOL shipping company introduced two new ConRo ships. There is now a lot of capacity for the container traffic in Kokkola, says Torbjörn Witting, CEO of Port of Kokkola, and he also welcomes the new container traffic customers.

In July, the container ship Botnia Enabler of the ship ping company Wallenius SOL arrived at Kokkola’s Silverstone Port on its maiden voyage. In September, it was the turn of the sister ship Baltic Enabler. With these two vessels, Wallenius SOL will continue to offer a weekly traffic to and from Kokkola.

– The container traffic capacity has multiplied, thanks to the new vessels. The customers can now be offered excellent import links by container traffic be tween Kokkola and Antwerp, and the rest of the world. For example, manufacturing companies in Kokkola’s large industrial area are able to make full use of con tainer transport, CEO Torbjörn Witting continues.

In recent years, Port of Kokkola has invest ed in large projects and container cranes. With large container vessels, the increased lifting capacity will be used more efficiently.

Better energy efficiency with new technology

Wallenius SOL’s container vessels, which were intro duced in the traffic in the summer, are impressive in size and characteristics. Each vessel is 242 meters long, 36 meters wide and have a load capacity of 27,000 tons. These are the world’s largest ice-class ConRo vessels and their design takes into account the trans port requirements of the Finnish and Swedish basic industries.

Special vessels also have high energy efficiency, the vessels can use either liquefied natural gas, liquefied biogas or diesel as fuels

The vessels sail on the route of Zeebrugge–Antwer pen–Kokkola–Skellefteå–Oulu–Kemi–Travemünde.

Wallenius SOL shipping company’s two new contain er vessels operate weekly in Kokkola.

Wind power construction opened up a career for Thomas Straßer in Finland

Nordex builds sustainable energy production with wind power in over 30 countries. The company has quickly grown into a major wind power construction client of Port of Kokkola, among other things due to the handling capacity of ships that the port of Kokkola offers

When Thomas Straßer, the Logistics Director of Nordex Finland Oy, first contacts a port, he al ready at that point knows the basics such as cranes and their capacity, storage services and quay lengths.

– These are things that have to be in or der. I am also interested in how easy it is to work with the service pro vider, because it has a significant impact on the service level. The projects are large and present a variety of chal lenges, and situations arise that cannot be planned in advance. Therefore, it is important that the par

ties have a similar view of how vari ous issues should be solved so as to en sure the good progress of the project, Straßer emphasizes. According to him, the above factors also contributed to Nordex Finland de cision to use the port of Kokkola for transport.

– We have had a very professional approach from the representatives of Port of Kokkola, all the way from the beginning of the discussions on various things, says Thomas Straßer. He specifically mentions the investments in the pro ject transport route in Kokkola by which wind turbine components

The carrying capacity of the Yong Xing vessel, which brought Nordex’s wind turbine compo nents to Kokkola, is 61,642 tons, and the length of the Capesize vessel is 200 meters.

are transported from the harbour through the urban area to major highways.

– For example, the long blades of the wind turbines pose a big chal lenge for logistics. The way in which Port of Kokkola and the City of Kokko la began developing the route, is exactly the way to invest in solutions to meet the customer’s needs. That is something I greatly appreciate. This has not happened anywhere else in Finland, as far as I know.

A lawyer’s career changed to the logistics sector

Born in Hamburg, Germany, and currently living in Helsinki, Thomas Straßer is a long -time professional, who has mainly worked, more than 20 years, in the logistics sector of the shipping industry.

– Originally, my intention was to study law, become a lawyer. But the I realized that I was not a typical lawyer and that my strengths lie somewhere else, he laughs. I finally found a new job in sea transporta tion, where I have worked in various positions, and most recently was employed by Cosco Shipping Lines in Hamburg.

CUSTOMER PRESENTATION

Thomas Straßer moved to Helsinki in 2019, where his girlfriend lived, and a great job was arranged at Nor dex Finland.

– I didn’t come to Finland for work, so I’m very lucky to have my current job, because we have a knowledgeable and international team in Helsinki. In ad dition, the logistics sector and Nordex com bine many things that make every working day different and therefore interesting. You never know in advance with any certainty what the next day will bring. Nordex as an employer also encourages me to develop my own work, which suits me personally very well.

Wind power is an integral part of the ongoing en ergy transition. Thomas Straßer says that wind power construction will continue in Finland in the next few years. He sees Nordex as an good-sized actor in the wind power construction market.

– I represent the slightly older school in the logistics industry that wants to do business with people, face to face. What is agreed and sealed with a handshake, that is to be honoured. In Finland, this business principle still applies, and that is one of the reasons why I enjoy working and being here so much.

Bianka Herckova is working at the heart of international logistics

Kokkola harbor has quickly evolved into a reliable logistics partner for the wind power industry. GE Re newable Energy has delivered wind turbines through the Port of Kokkola to Soidinmäki Wind Power Park in Saarijärvi and Rustar Wind Park in Kurikka.

Before GE Renewable Energy concludes a contract with a new operator, the partner must meet the prescribed conditions.

– When it comes to the port, we go through shift arrangements as they have an impact on cost-effec tiveness. We also investigate, among other things, restrictions on vessels and components, the harbor

– Wind power is an integral part of the energy transition.

congestion and the risks, quay lengths and warehouse services, the operator’s experience in handling wind power components, and prices, says Bianka Herckova, who works as a logistics expert at GE Renewable Energy.

In addition, there are conditions that the company requires from all service providers. These include, for example, respect for human rights and workers’ rights, compliance with regulations on environmental, health and safety issues, and respect for GE’s intel lectual property rights and respect for the company’s privacy and security information.

Bianka Herckova describes collaboration with the Port of Kokkola as very pleasant.

– Communication and careful planning are key to the end result. At the end of June, the CL Judy ship brought 105 wind turbine components from China to the Port of Kokkola, and we started the week ly meetings as early as January. We went through many practical things at these meetings , such as lifting and handling components, and the equipment needed to handle them. The every day life of logistics is different with many changes, and in Kokkola the changes have been met with flexi bility every time.

Work and clients around the world, roots in Slovakia

GE Renewable Energy serves its customers all over the world. In addition to Finland, Bianka Herckova handles projects in

Spain and Lithuania, and in the future also in Ireland and the Netherlands, from the Czech capital Prague. Herckova, who among other things has studied logis tics at the University of Derby, says she is very much enjoying being in an international environment.

– The logistics industry is good for me, because I like planning and organization. The industry is very inter esting, because logistics is a prerequisite for virtually all business everywhere.

– Sustainable development and renewable energy production are important to me, and this I can promote in my current job. It is really rewarding to see the new production start after all the logistical arrangements with schedules and changes that have been required.

Bianka Herckova was born in Slovakia but her fam ily is Slovakian Hungarian.

– Undeniably, I am quite an international person, and it has helped me see the world more open ly and understand different cultures. But where my heart is, that’s a good question. It is in Slovakia, because that’s where I come from, Herckova says after think ing for a moment, and praises Slova kian food, as well as the country’s beautiful mountains and historical cities.

Cl Judy brought 105 wind tur bine components from China to the Port of Kokkola.

Leading logistics expert Bianka Herckova is hap py to be able to promote the production of renew able energy in her work.

– It has been great to work with the Port of Kokkola.

Harbor Master Carita Rönnqvist on long leave

I appreciate particularly highly the value of the recognition I received at the IHMA Congress, because it was awarded by my colleagues, Carita Rönnqvist is pleased to say.

An era came to an end in Port of Kokkola when Carita Rönnqvist on 1 August retired from her duties as Harbour Master, a position she held for 18 years.

I retire from my employment at Port of Kokkola, but not from the industry, because I shall continue execut ing certain honorary tasks. I am a bit sad, but on the other hand I am very pleased with how my profession al life has been. Port of Kokkola has been a fantastic workplace, as is the industry as a whole, with clients and many stakeholders, Carita Rönnqvist says.

The first things that come to her mind are the strong growth and development that have made the port com plex of Kokkola an internationally significant actor.

The management group, in which Carita Rönnqvist is a member, has been crucial to the development, and

At the BreakBulk Conference in Rotterdam

After a two year pause the BreakBulk Europe Conference was organized in May in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It felt fine to meet clients and partners face-to-face after the long break. Port of Kokkola extends a warm thank you to all visitors to our stand!

it has been composed of the same members during the whole time that Carita worked at the Port. One visible result of the development has been the increase of the size of ships calling the port. The largest vessels in the port of Kokkola have been of more than 180,000 DWT.

Carita Rönnqvist received a pleasant recognition as a networker at the congress of the International Har bour Masters’ Association in Malaysia in April. There she was awarded the biannual recognition prize for her extraordinary successful activities as harbour master and almost forty years of influencing in the industry.

I wish to extend my warmest thanks to my col leagues at the work, to the clients and to all of you with whom I have had the pleasure work. These years have really been interesting and inspiring.

CEO Torbjörn Witting on his work: Challenging and rewarding

Torbjörn Witting, CEO of Port of Kokkola Ltd, likes the challenges related to his work. At the same time, it is also rewar ding. When long-term developments result in, for example, a new port area or even completely new ports, the benefits of this investment will be enjoyed by future generations.

The CEO of Port of Kokkola Ltd. is responsible for the development of the port and the port business in a multi-dimensional environment. In addition to domes tic customers, it includes international customers, big investments as well as dependence on a network econ omy, and all of this is combined with public ownership.

One big change in the port operating environ ment took place last February when Russia attacked Ukraine.

– My first thought was, this is not real. I was won dering how this could happen and what are the attack er’s motives, Torbjörn Witting recalls. The confusion was enhanced by his personal experiences from the 25 years of Witting being the representative of Port of Kokkola in the logistics and freight traffic between Finland and Russia.

– In the context in which I was working at the time,

the act of war, which started in Feb ruary, seemed very strange. As a re sult of the new business strategy in 2015, the dependence on the Russian transit traffic has been systematical ly reduced by widening the business base with new domestic customers and varieties of goods and providing more competitive logistical solu tions to the customers of the port.

Over 25-year career in the port industry

However, even in the most difficult situations, on must look to the future. Torbjörn Witting is guiding Port of Kokkola Ltd. into the future with a vision based on his vast experience. The port of Kokkola has been his work site for over a quarter of a century, well over 26 years. Witting be came a financial and marketing manager for the port, which at that time was a public utility company, and he has been the Port Director and later the CEO of the company Port of Kokkola Ltd. since 2004.

– I am a returnee to Kokkola because I studied

and worked for 15 years elsewhere before I started working for my current employer. International ity has always been important to me, and I worked abroad for one year. I also thought that I was mov ing abroad to work internationally permanently.

Witting wrote about Nokia Mobile Phones in his Master’s thesis. After grad uation, he was involved in, among other things, the strategy of the then Tele Finland, the present Telia, as well as Metsä Fiber and UPM.

– The port industry is really versatile and wide. Soon after starting my work here, I found that in order to succeed I would need all the skills and experience of business and business strategies that I had accumu lated during my studies and working life.

The roots of shipping and port activities in Kokkola go back hundreds of years. In the last decades, histor ically long steps have been taken in developing the port of Kokkola.

– The change has been really big. What I am proud of, and a little amazed by, is that I have been allowed to be involved in the construction of new harbours. Here Witting refers to the Deep Port and the Silver stone Port in Kokkola. According to him, no similar opportunity has been in the offering for decades in other places in Finland, except in Vuosaari, Helsinki.

– Development requires consistency in the long term. The direction must all the time be clear, and you need to know what is being done at any point. Otherwise, you miss the goal.

– Planning and implementing the large projects is awesome. In this work, you can see the entire chain; from starting the planning for the first time with your

own staff and outside experts, select ing the end results from the various options, arranging the financing, to finally completing the project. It also the fact that big investments are made long-term is very motivating. What we do today must operate for the next hun dred years.

Witting concedes with a laugh that he is a bit impatient, pushing for development, and is keen to speed things up.

– Nevertheless, I understand that things need to be done in the right way and in a certain order so that the result is the best. Although I recognize a certain impa tience in myself, I am a good listener and a ”discusser”, which helps when you work with people.

The CEO has also had responsibility in national hon orary positions, a maximum full term, i.e., four years, as the Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Ports Association, formed by Finnish ports, until last April.

– I had the honour of being the first representative of the ports of the Bay of Bothnia during quite a chal lenging time. The tasks of Ports Association include, among other things, promoting the interests of the port industry in Finland, and in the European Union the security of supply issues.

Exercise gives energy for coping at work

The nature of the port CEO’s job requires that one is always contactable, at any time of the day. For Tor björn Witing, the support of his family and regular exercise during free time are the things that maintain his well-being and energy at work. Exercise was a part of life where he grew up in Mallot, in Kokkola.

– My friends and I were constantly moving, and we went everywhere by bike, all year round.

In the past, the wide range of hobbies included foot ball, horse riding and floorball. Currently, Witting can be seen, for example, in the gym, at group exercise, country skiing, downhill skiing, running or very likely on a sailboat, as he considers being on the water as the number one summer hobby.

– All this, of course, to the extent that work allows. However, I have noticed that I would not be able to keep the current pace at work unless I was in good physical condition.

Currently, he also acts as a Commodor of GSF, or Gamlakarleby Segelföreningen. GSF is the fourth old est sailing club in Finland and the oldest sports club in Kokkola. In addition to exercise, Witting enjoys books.

– I’m a bookworm. I read something every day, and preferably in the original language. I want to maintain my language skills and also gain insights into the out side world. For example, I read about leadership and the world economy, as well as business stories about successes and failures.

Sailing is Torbjörn Witting’s favourite leisure activity in the summer.

– International business has always been important to me.

The 3 million euro investment support that was grant ed by the EU to Port of Kokkola in June this year, will strengthen the port of Kokkola’s continuing position as an important general port in Finland. Port of Kok kola will, within the framework of its Power-4-Future Project, invest a total of 10 million euros in the development of the Silverstone Port and the General Port.

–The EU funding is particularly important, because it enhances our ability to further develop the port of Kokkola as a general port to serve various goods traffic more extensively than before, from project and container transports to bulk traffic, say the Financial Manager Vuokko Kalliokoski and Technical Manager Tapio Lampinen. The latter is also the project manag er for the Power-4-Future Project.

The projects consists of three investment sectors; lengthening the Silverstone Port Quay, constructing new cargo fields in the Silverstone Port, and laying about 1.5 kilometers of additonal railway tracks. In ad dition, the project also includes the comlete planning fi nance, which will be used for the planning costs of re furbishing the shore quay of the General Port and the constructing a roro ramp.

The investments in the General Port are also consid erable in euro terms. The total value of the investments will reach almost 20 million euros, of which the first phase is estimated to be 10–12 million euros.

Close to 4 hectares of new cargo fields

Part of the EU funding will be used retroac tively for investments already made in the Silverstone Port.

– The lengthening of the quay is ready completed and the last asphalting work will be finished in the autumn. Part of the quay already has a draught of 14.2 m and the Silverstone Port has an option to connect the vessels to shore pow er. Shore power reduces the emissions of the vessels in the port as, when connected, the vessel’s auxuliary engines need not produce electricity. The emissions will also be reduced due to the electrical connections which will be installed in the autumn, thanks to which the Gottwald Crane will be powered by electricity in stead of an combustion engine, says Tapio Lampinen.

Almost 4 hectares of new cargo fields will be con structed in the Silverstone Port. Part of the area is al ready or is about to be covered by asphalt, and part is being filled. The enlargement of the harbour field is a huge circular economy project. In accordance with the environmental permit, surplus soil from building sites in the City of Kokkola, as well as stones, asphalt, cement and brick fractions, and ash from the power station of Kokkola Voima, are used, among other materials.

– The final areas will be completed in 2024, after which there will be a total of about 15 hectares of car

EU funding in support of the development of diversified projects in the port of Kokkola

go fields in the Silverstone Port. This will allow us ,for example, to receive and store sea wind power plant components, says Tapio Lampinen.

New railway tracks and related safety devices are being constructed, as well as laying additional tracks in continuation and in parallel to the existing tracks.

Thanks to the construction of new tracks we will be able to increase the storage capacity, and more cargo can be stored and transported into covered warehous ing, which effectively reduces dust pollution.

– The consultancy firm Wega greatly helped us in the funding process, for example, in drafting the ap plication. EU identified many strengths in our appli cation, such as the clear and complete processes need ed for the tendering procedures. Port of Kokkola was also considered an operator with substantial econom ic power, and additionally, the Power-4-Future Project was considered to further EU:s headline targets, such as the TEN-T objectives, says Vuokko Kalliokoski.

Part of the EU funding will be paid right away and the rest in three installments, of which the last one is in 2026, based on approved costs.

The EU funding was directed to Port of Kokkola through the Connecting Europe Facility, CEF Programme. The CEF Programme supports traffic projects within the TEN-T Network and the funding was granted for pro jects in both the Core and the Comprehensive net works.

The quay extension of Silverstone Port and the construction of new field areas create conditions for, among other things, logistics servic es related to the construction of off shore wind power.

In the port of Kokkola, new railway tracks, in addition to the cargo areas, are even now being built.

”Port of Kokkola is an operator with substantial economic power”

The Port of Kokkola Port organized an day out at the amusement park for Ukrainian children

Nearly a hundred Ukrainian children and their par ents had a relaxing day out at Alahärmä Power Park Amusement Park on the first Saturday in Septem ber, a trip organized by Port of Kokkola Ltd.

– A really great day. The roller coaster and the rotat ing rides were particularly fun, the children described their feelings when they arrived back in Kokkola.

According to the childrens’ parents, events like this are important for many reasons. One reason, of course, is that a carefree day at an amusement park takes children thoughts away from everyday life, where, in addition to war events, the sounds of fire works and thunderstorms are a cause of anxiety.

– The day out united us adults as well, becausewe got to know each other during the day. A warm thank you to the Port of Kokkola for this opportunity, and after this it would be interesting to get to know more about the port, the parents said.

”People want to return to their homeland soon”

Artur Boutov, a student in Kokkola, working as a vol unteer assisting Ukrainians, helped in the organiza tion of the trip.

– The day out was very well received. It was abso lutely amazing that I was able to offer such an event for Ukrainian families on behalf of the port.

According to him, 95 % of Ukrainians want to re turn to their home country as soon as possible. For the rest, it is not possible.

The day out started by bus from the center of Kokkola.

– They no longer have a home or home country to return to, Boutov refers, for example, to residents of Mariupol and those how have escaped from occupied areas.

According to Torbjörn Witting, CEO of Kokkola Port Oy, the idea for the day out was born, when the situation in Ukraine came up during business nego tiations.

– We thought about what could be a suitable hu manitarian act locally. The trip to PowerPark also co incided with the UN International Day of Charity, says Witting.

In addition to Artur Boutov, Alexandra Haapala, Marketing Secretary and Mika Suvanto, Sales Man ager of Port of Kokkola, were there taking care of the practical arrangements.

Förändringen framskrider gynnsamt tack vare de nya godsströmmarna

Viöverraskades alla av Rysslands grymma anfall skrig i Ukraina i februari. Förutom de mänskliga lidandena har kriget på många sätt även inverkat på näringslivet. För Karleby Hamn har invasionen trap pat upp minskning av beroendet av den ryska trans ittrafiken som vi inlett redan tidigare. I början av året stoppades all trafik som går genom Karleby hamn till och från Ryssland.

Till all lycka har detta skede av förändring framskri dit gynnsamt tack vare nya kunder och nya godsström mar. Vi har under flera år jobbat på att få nya trans porter genom hamnen och resultatet av det kunde inte ha kommit vid en lägligare tidpunkt. Karleby Hamn vill tacka sina trogna inhemska kunder och kunderna i Karleby storindustriområde för de nya godsström marna och möjligheterna. Förutom dem ska aktörerna som jobbar inom vindkraftsproduktionen ha ett stort tack. De bildar en alldeles ny kundgrupp för Karleby Hamn. De har på ett positivt sätt nästan överöst oss med komponenter som går genom vår hamn till vind kraftverken.

Efter ett halvt år var Hamnens finanser avsevärt

mycket bättre än vi kunde förutsäga i början av året. De nya godsslagen och kunderna har ekonomiskt väl kompenserat bortfallet av den ryska transittrafiken. Samtidigt har de nya godsslagen gett arbete åt perso nalen i de olika företagen som verkar i hamnen.

Det har också varit glädjande att ta del av nyheterna från Karleby storindustriområde, Kokkola Industrial Park. Under årtionden har företagen i KIP haft stor betydelse för Finlands export och erbjudit arbete för människor i vår region. Idag deltar företagen i KIP med kraft i den gröna omställningen. Karleby Hamn ger också här sin egen viktiga insats genom att orga nisera logistiken för förutom vind kraftverksproduktionen också för bland annat batterikemika lieproduktionen.

Detta är en uppmuntrande grundval att bygga vidare på.

TORBJÖRN WITTING

Verkställande direktör Karleby Hamn Ab

Erkännandet och priset som jag fick på IHMA:s kongress skattar ja spe ciellt högt då jag fick det av mina kolleger, säger en glad Carita Rönnqvist som gått i pension.

Hamnkapten Carita Rönnqvist tar långledigt

Enepok i Karleby Hamn kom till sitt slut 1 augusti då Carita Rönnqvist gick i pension från funktionen som hamnkapten, ett jobb som hon skötte i hela 18 år.

– Jag går i pension från tjänsten i Karleby Hamn, men inte från branschen, för jag fortsätter ännu bland annat i några förtroendeuppdrag. Stämningen är ve modig, men jag är också verkligen nöjd med min ar betskarriär. Karleby Hamn har varit en väldigt fin ar betsplats och hela branschen intressant med alla sina kunder och intressenter, säger Carita Rönnqvist.

Vad hon främst tänker på är den starka tillväxt och utveckling som har gjort Karlebys hamnhelhet till en betydande aktör på den internationella scenen.

I centrum för utvecklingen har bolagets lednings grupp stått. Carita Rönnqvist har varit medlem i led ningsgruppen och den har verkat i samma samman sättning hela den tid som hon varit i hamnens tjänst.

– Ett synligt resultat av utvecklingen har varit den ökade storleken på fartygen. De största fartygen som anlöpt Karleby hamn har haft en dödvikt på över 180 000 ton.

Carita Rönnqvist fick ett angenämt erkännande för sin aktivitet som nätverkare vid den internationella hamnkaptensorganisationen IHMA:s kongress i april i Malaysia. Där mottog hon ett pris som delas ut med två års mellanrum, och motiveringen var hennes excep tionellt framgångsrika verksamhet som hamnkapten samt närmare fyra decenniers bidrag till branschen.

– Mitt varmaste tack till arbetskamraterna, kunder na och alla andra, som jag har samarbetat med, för de gemensamma åren. Dessa år har varit verkligt intres santa och givande.

Verkställande direktör för Karleby Hamn Ab Torbjörn Witting säger att han alltid trivts i en interna tionell affärsmiljö.

Verkställande direktör Torbjörn Witting om sitt jobb: Utmanande och belönande

Karleby Hamn Ab:s verkställande direktör Torbjörn Witting gillar utmaningarna som hans jobb medför. Samtidigt är jobbet givande. Då t.ex. ett nytt hamnfält eller t.o.m. alldeles nya hamnar blir resultatet av en långsiktig utveckling kan även kommande genera tioner njuta av nyttan som investeringar skapar.

Karleby Hamns verkställande direktör svarar för utvecklingen av hamnoperationerna i en flerdi mensionell verksamhetsmiljö. Till det hör förutom de inhemska kunderna såväl internationella kunder, sto ra investeringar som beroende av nätverksekonomin, och allt detta i kombination med offentligt ägande.

En stor förändring i Hamnens verksamhetsmiljö in träffade i februari då Ryssland invaderade Ukraina.

– Min första tanke var att det här kan inte vara verk ligt. Jag funderade på hur detta kan hända och vilka är angriparens motiv, sammanfattar Torbjörn Wit ting. Till chocken bidrog de egna erfarenheterna un der de 25 år som Witting, i egenskap av representant för Karleby Hamn, varit med i logistiken och godstra fiken mellan Finland och Ryssland.

– I den kontexten som jag då verkade kändes krig soperationerna som inleddes i februari som myck et främmande. I den affärsverksamhetsstrategi som uppgjordes i samband med att Hamnen bolagiserades

2015 strävade man efter att systematiskt minska beroendet av den ryska transittra fiken genom att öka antalet nya inhemska kunder och godsslag samt producera allt konkurrenskraftigare logistiska lösningar för hamnens kunder.

Karriären omfattar över 25 år i hamnbranschen

Också i de svåraste situationerna måste blicken riktas på framtiden. Torbjörn Witting lotsar Karleby Hamn Ab framåt med hjälp av en vision som han grundar på lång erfarenhet.

Karleby hamn har varit hans arbetsfält i redan över ett kvarts sekel, drygt 26 år. Witting anställdes i det dåvarande hamnaffärsverket som ekonomi- och mark nadsföringschef, och sedan 2004 har han verkat som hamndirektör och senare som Karleby Hamn Ab: s verkställande direktör.

– Jag är en återinflyttare för jag studerade och ar betade i 15 år annanstans innan jag kom i min nuva rande arbetsgivares tjänst. En internationell miljö har alltid varit viktig för mig och jag har också jobbat ett år utomlands. Jag funderade också ett tag på att flytta permanent utomlands och jobba inom den internatio nella affärsmarknaden.

Sitt pro gradu-arbete gjorde Wit ting för Nokia Mobile Phones. Efter att han blivit färdig jobbade han med utveckling av affärsstrategier för bl.a. Telia Finland eller nuva rande Telia samt Metsä Fibre och UPM.

– Hamnbranschen är verkligen mångsidig och omfattande. Jag konsta terade ganska snart efter att jag börjat jobba här att jag för att lyckas behöver allt det kunnande och den erfarenhet inom affärsekonomi och affärsstrategi som jag samlat under studieåren samt i arbetslivet.

Sjöfarten och hamnverksamheten i Karleby bygger på flera hundra års erfarenhet. Under de senaste de cennierna har utvecklingen i Karleby hamn tagit his toriskt långa kliv.

– Förändringen har varit verkligt stor. Det som jag är stoltast och även lite överrumplad över är att jag fått vara med och bygga alldeles nya hamnar, säger Witting med hänvisning till Djuphamnen och Silver stenshamnen i Karleby. Liknande chanser har enligt honom inte erbjudits någon annanstans i Finland, med undantag för Nordsjöhamnen i Helsingfors.

– Utvecklingen kräver långsiktighet. Riktningen måste vara klar hela tiden och man måste veta vad som ska göras och i vilket skede. Annars blir nog inte resultatet det man förväntat sig.

– Planeringen och genomförandet av stora helhet er är något alldeles speciellt. I det här jobbet ser man hela kedjan: allt från då de första planerna uppgörs av den egna personalen och externa experter, till va let bland alternativen av det som man ska börja för verkliga, ordnandet av finansieringen och det slutli

ga genomförandet och färdigställandet av projektet. Motiverande är också det att stora investeringar görs med siktet inställt långt in i framtiden. Det som vi gör idag ska fungera under de kom mande hundra åren.

Witting skrattar till när han konstate rar att han nog är litet otålig och gärna vill att allting ska gå lite snabbare.

– Men trots det inser jag att saker måste göras på rätt sätt i en viss ordning för att slutresultatet ska var det bästa möjliga. Fastän jag medger att jag är lite otålig är jag en god lyssnare och ”diskuterare”, vilket är till hjälp i arbetet med andra människor.

Verkställande direktör Torbjörn Witting har axlat ansvar även i nationella förtroendeuppdrag då han fram till april detta år verkade maximitiden eller fyra år som ordförande i styrelsen för Finlands hamnför bund, som representerar hamnarna i Finland.

– Jag fick äran att sköta uppdraget som den första representanten för de bottniska hamnarna under en tid som var verkligt utmanande. Till hamnförbundets uppgifter hör att driva hamnbranschens intressen i Finland och dessutom i EU i frågor som gäller försörj ningstryggheten.

Motion ger energi att orka i arbetet

Det hör till arbetets natur för Hamnens verkställande direktör att vara anträffbar hela tiden. Familjens stöd och fritid med mycket motion är för Torbjörn Witting det som gör att han mår bra och orkar i arbetet. Han berättar att redan som barn ingick i hans livsstil myck et motion.

– Vi var hela tiden i farten med kamraterna, och vi cyklade överallt både sommar och vinter.

Tidigare hörde till exempel fotboll, ridning och innebandy till det mångsidiga hobbyurvalet. Idag ses Torbjörn Witting till exempel gå på gym, delta i grupp motion, skida, åka slalom, jogga på konditionsslingan eller sannolikt vara till sjöss med segelbåten, för hans favorithobby på sommaren är att röra sig på vatten.

– Allt detta naturligtvis i den omfattning som arbe tet tillåter. Det har jag dock kunnat konstatera att jag skulle inte kunna hålla den nuvarande arbetstakten om jag inte vore i god fysisk kondition.

För närvarande fungerar han också som kommodor för GSF eller Gamlakarleby Segelförening. GSF är Fin lands fjärde äldsta segelsällskap och Karlebys äldsta idrottsförening. Förutom motion trivs Torbjörn Wit ting med böcker.

– Jag är en bokmal. Varje dag läser jag något och helst på originalspråket. Jag vill upprätthålla mina språkkunskaper och bilda mig en uppfattning och om världen utanför arbetet. Jag läser till exempel böcker om ledarskap och världsekonomin samt företagshis toria där det redogörs för både lyckanden och miss lyckanden.

För Torbjörn Witting är en seglats med segelbåten den bästa fritidssys selsättningen på sommaren.

– Jag har alltid trivts i en internationell miljö.

Nu har containertrafiken kapacitet

En ny tidsera i Karleby hamns containertrafik in leddes med introduktionen av två nya ConRo-fartyg tillhörande rederiet Wallenius-SOL. Nu finns det tillräcklig kapacitet i Karleby hamn för containertra fiken, säger Karleby Hamns verkställande direktör Torbjörn Witting och önskar även containertrafikens nya kunder välkomna.

Ijuli anlände Botnia Enabler, ett av Wallenius-SOL-re deriets nya containerfartyg till Silverstenshamnen i Karleby. I september var det systerfartyget Baltic En ablers tur. Med dessa två fartyg trafikerar Walleni us-SOL i fortsättningen varje vecka till Karleby.

– Tack vare de nya fartygen har containertrafikens kapacitet mångdubblats. Med containertrafiken kan kunderna nu erbjudas utomordentliga importmöjlig heter från Antwerpen och den övriga världen till Kar leby. Företagen på Karleby storindustriområde kan till exempel utnyttja containertransporterna till fullo, fortsätter verkställande direktör Torbjörn Witting.

Karleby Hamn har de senaste åren inves terat bland annat i stora projekt- och con tainerlyftkranar. Med de stora container fartygen kan den ökade lyftkapaciteten nu utnyttjas effektivare än tidigare.

Den nya teknologin

ger bättre energieffektivitet Containerfartygen som Wallenius-SOL tog i bruk på sommaren är till storlek och egenskaper imponeran de. Båda fartygen är 242 meter långa och 36 meter breda och har en dödvikt på 27 000 ton. Det är fråga om världens största isförstärkta ConRo-fartyg, och i designen har man beaktat de transportkrav som den finländska och svenska basindustrin ställer.

Speciellt i fartygen är också den höga energieffek tiviteten och fartygen kan som bränsle använda såväl LNG, flytande biogas som diesel.

Fartygen trafikerar rutten Zeebrugge–Antwerpen–Karleby–Skellefteå–Uleåborg–Kemi–Travemünde.