14 m/s (West)
Port of Kokkola has rapidly developed into a reliable logistics partner for the wind power industry. The Port’s comprehensive service offering is an efficient and safe logistics entity that accurately serves the needs of wind farm sites.
Wind power is being built in Finland at a record pace. Kokkola is located in the centre, whether we are talking about wind farms located in the coastal region of Ostrobothnia or inland, such as central Finland. The port of Kokkola is Finland’s third largest general port, accustomed to meet various logistical needs.
– There is a huge potential for wind power construction in our neighbourhood. The Toolport strategy has long accelerated the growth of Port of Kokkola and we realized internally in the company that we are able to offer wind farms a safe and direct route from the port to the construction sites. The transports have got off to a good start, and we are really pleased, for example, with the excellent performance the new special transport route offers, both inside and outside the large-scale industrial area. The investments in the development of project transports have been a significant strategic step, which was definitely worth taking, says Mika Suvanto, Sales Manager of Port of Kokkola Ltd.
According to him, the wind power team of Port of Kokkola, which is strongly committed to doing something new, has developed a well-received service concept for wind power customers as a logistics operator and partner, who invests in design and organization work, as well as communication between the port and the installation site.
– We have extensive storage areas and more are being built all the time. Strong harbour cranes enable tandem lifts, ensuring special attention to safe handling of the components. The project transports will also be enhanced by the extension of the Silverstone quay, which significantly increases the handling capacity. Best of all, the new special transport route will also enable the transport of larger components as the size of wind turbines increases, Suvanto continues.
Mika Suvanto describes the wind power industry as a young and inspiring community that builds sustainable energy production at the heart of the global energy revolution.
– A lot is currently being invested in onshore wind power. It will be interesting to see to what scale the construction of offshore wind power will grow over time, and all the possibilities it will offer, he ponders.
Punctual transports from the port to the sites
The special transport route from the port is an essential part of efficient project logistics, whether it is the transport of wind turbines or the project transports of the companies operating in the Kokkola Industrial Park.
Port of Kokkola has implemented a new special transport route based on careful planning in cooperation with the companies in the Kokkola lndustrial Park, the City of Kokkola and the Fairway Agency. As a result, a permanent route is in use, along which wind mill farms will be transported smoothly out of the port and further along Highway 8 to the north and south, and along Highway 13, towards central Finland.
Hundreds of special transports have already departed from the port over the last months of 2021, demonstrating that the transports went smoothly.
One example of new solutions that improve the smoothness of transport is the raising of overhead contact lines for electric locomotives at the so-called Armory level crossing. The Finnish Railways carried out the installation of a remote-controlled function at the level crossing, where the overhead contact lines are lifted during transport.
In addition to the large crane capacity and the extended quay in the Silverstone Port, Port of Kokkola has competitive storage areas. The port also invests heavily in documentation, which assists warehouse management to ensure smooth transports.
