The Port of Helsinki and YIT Infra Oy have agreed on the construction of the expansion of the southern end of the West Harbour. The project, worth around EUR 28 million, will start in July 2025 and be completed by the end of 2027. The expansion will provide additional capacity for the growing traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn and improve the port’s reliability in the coming years.

The contract covers the large-scale construction of the quay and the field area, including the demolition of existing structures, dredging, filling, fabrication and the installation of quay elements, technical systems and surface infrastructure. Water engineering will be carried out in accordance with the water permit granted by the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southern Finland in May 2025.

“The start of the expansion of the southern end is a much anticipated and important moment for us at the Port of Helsinki,” said Kaj Takolander, VP Passenger Services at the Port of Helsinki. “In the coming years, major infrastructure works will be carried out in the West Harbour, and the work that is starting now is the first step in the overall renovation project. All traffic between Helsinki and Tallinn will be concentrated in the West Harbour in 2032, and the port’s services will be upgraded to meet the future needs of passengers and cargo traffic.”

YIT Infra Oy is an experienced infrastructure contractor with strong expertise in demanding port construction projects.

“We are pleased to have been chosen for this important project,” said Aleksi Laine, SVP of YIT’s Infra segment. “This expansion is a vital part of the Port of Helsinki’s development programme and will help future-proof its operations. We look forward to working closely with the Port of Helsinki and are committed to delivering the project safely and with high quality, while ensuring uninterrupted port operations.”

During the project, around 120,000 cubic metres of soil will be dredged from the site and around 250,000 cubic metres of quarry will be used for construction purposes. The expansion will provide 12,000 square metres of new loading space, more than a kilometre of lane space for vehicle traffic, and 330 metres of new quay structure.

“It will two football pitches worth of field space and allow for modern, customer-oriented solutions such as automated traffic control. At the same time, we are preparing for the future needs of electric ship traffic. This will improve the reliability and competitiveness of the port, also in the future,” Takolander continues.

Construction work is mainly carried out from the sea

The construction work will start in the support area in Jätkäsaari’s Neptunuksenpuisto Park, which has been leased by the Port of Helsinki from the city for the duration of the project. The work will be carried out mainly from the sea, so that passenger and cargo traffic can continue to operate as normally as possible throughout the construction period.

“Dredging will start in August, and the rock filling phase will begin at the turn of August and September. The impact of the construction work on the environment will be carefully monitored throughout the project. The work has been planned so as not to cause any significant inconvenience to the surrounding area, residents or passengers,” says Ari Parviainen, Project Director at the Port of Helsinki.

The aim of the West Harbour renovation is to build a modern, efficient and more functional port that is a central part of Helsinki. The renovation is divided into three major parts: the expansion of the field and quay areas, which is now starting, the construction of a new passenger terminal, and a harbour tunnel, which will take heavy traffic underground.

ENQUIRIES:

Port of Helsinki Ltd

Kaj Takolander
VP Passenger Services
[email protected]
tel. +358 400 507 908

Ari Parviainen
Project Director
[email protected]
tel. +358 50 021 4904

Mihail Tchitcherin
Project Communications Manager
[email protected]
tel. +358 40 515 1137

YIT

YIT Group Communications
[email protected]
tel. +358 44 743 7536