“I like this city a lot, and by working on the Port’s development project, I can make a big difference in Helsinki city’s future,” says Contact Manager Tero Lahti.

Tero joined the Port in 2023, bringing 14 years of work experience in communications from the City of Helsinki.

“The importance of the development project to Helsinki and Finland as a whole is what attracted me to the Port. I am drawn to the challenge and the fact that I will be able to see traces of my work once the project is completed, given how concrete the outcome will be.”

“People are proud to be working at the Port of Helsinki.”

“The moment I arrive at the Port, I see how significant our work is toward the security of supply, people’s mobility, and the availability of goods. People are proud to be working at Port of Helsinki. The work is clearly meaningful.”

“My main responsibility is stakeholder cooperation for the development project, which means making sure that we communicate correct and up-to-date information regarding planning and construction-related implications to surrounding stakeholders. In a development package of this size, there is a large number of stakeholders, ranging from shipping companies and residents to authorities operating in the area and private companies. All these actors have different expectations and wishes regarding the project, which we want to pay close attention to. Having a successful stakeholder cooperation is important because it allows for the project’s wider acceptability and progress within the desired schedule.”

The development project enables many great things to take shape in Helsinki.

Because of Port of Helsinki’s development project, the Port will be able to meet traffic growth needs in the long run. At the same time, it creates opportunities to improve Helsinki city centre’s vitality considerably.

“When the Port’s activities leave South Harbour, the area is opened up to the city to be used in various interesting ways dedicated to residents and travelers. At the same time, Katajanokka Terminal will no longer handle Tallinn traffic, and vehicle congestion will ease. Then, how will the Jätkäsaari area look when the new residential and Port construction is finished by the 2030s? A brand new West Harbour in Jätkäsaari will offer experiences and services and serve as a maritime center as well as a communal living room for Jätkäsaari residents. Meanwhile, heavy vehicle traffic will be directed to the tunnel, away from the road network.”

Tero seems enthusiastic about his work and the possibilities of it. What about the challenging parts of his work?

“The scale of the development project is massive, and it is carried out in stages. Each stage affects the next ones, and its implementation constantly changes. It is not always easy to communicate,” Tero says.

“When plans are continuously developed and specified, it is not always easy to see the bigger picture, such as how possible delays affect the next stages of the project.”

“You need to be comfortable working with things that are still in progress and recognise that progress is not only tied to your own work. Having good interpersonal skills and curiosity does help. Try to look at the bigger picture as well as react quickly if needed,” he says, explaining the keys to success in this task.