Page 46: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2015)

COUNTRY FOCUS: FINLAND

Finland Maritime Powerhouse

By Joseph R. Fonseca nnovation, superior technol- maritime industry is based on close co- Star Players ing ship machinery, propulsion and ma- ogy and competitiveness are the operation between businesses and re- To a certain extent it can be considered neuvering solutions worldwide; characteristics that have brought search communities, leading to innova- as a manufacturing hub for high quality • Cargotec, with its three production the Finnish maritime industry tions in the ? eld. Around 2,900 globally ships and other allied marine equipment. brands in Hiab, Kalmar and MacGregor;

Iworld repute. Its well-knit mari- active companies exist in this Cluster The maritime sector boasts of many and time cluster responsible for achieving a employing nearly 48,000 persons in ac- global brands, products and companies. • Konecranes offering cargo lifting high level of production has propelled tivities directly related to the maritime Based on a strong tradition in shipbuild- solutions for manufacturing and process it into prominence in the global market. sector with the maritime industries alone ing and production of marine engines, industries and shipyards, ports and ter-

Extreme conditions during winter have employing 21,000 people. Today, Fin- propulsion systems, specialized integrat- minals.

set technological and quality demands land ranks among the most competitive ed solutions and port cranes all playing Taking advantage of the well-estab- on Finnish shipping which, in turn has economies in the world. The country a pivotal role as a group of core com- lished maritime and offshore cluster, contributed towards the emergence of is highly globalized and foreign trade panies responsible for generating these International brands too set up manufac- a competitive maritime industry in Fin- forms an integral part of the business top-of-the-line products and services. turing bases in Finland successfully in- land. The Finnish Maritime and Off- culture. Sixty percent of the total trade Spearheading the major Finnish-based tegrating speci? c advantages and char- shore Cluster (incl. Marine industries, is with the European Union. The larg- global leaders are: acteristics to add value to their products. shipping and port operations in private est trade ? ow is with Eurasian countries • Wärtsilä Corporation, offering Among those that have established a sig- and public sectors) is one of the central including Russia, Sweden, Germany, the lifecycle power solutions for the marine ni? cant track record are: industries in the Finnish technology in- United Kingdom, Netherlands and Chi- and energy markets; • STX Finland Oy, Finland’s larg- dustries. The strength of the Finnish na besides the United States of America. • The Wärtsilä Ship Power, provid- est shipbuilding group specializing in 46 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • FEBRUARY 2015

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