Improvements in heavy goods vehicle services
The Port of Turku has heard and met the requests of its customers. These include a new break room with showers and the reinstitution of a gatekeeper. Additionally, the truck parking area will gain an electric charging station that is open to all heavy goods vehicle traffic, the first of its kind in Finnish ports.
History will soon be made in the Port of Turku’s truck parking area with the addition of a public electric charging station for heavy goods vehicle traffic, the likes of which is currently not available in any other Finnish port.
“Our customers made this request because there are so few public electric charging stations for heavy goods vehicle traffic. Our truck parking area will be equipped with four fast charging stations”, says Antti Pekanheimo, Chief Operating Officer for the Port of Turku.
The station will be so large that even HCT articulated trucks will be able to access the charging points. Trucks will not be forced to reverse when leaving, since they can simply drive through the station.
The station is set to open in October
An electric charging station for heavy goods vehicle traffic is not built quickly, easily or inexpensively. You cannot just simply run an extension cable from the nearest electrical distribution cabinet to the charging unit. The charging station in Turku needs to deliver up to 600 kW, which is almost 50% more than Tampere’s heavy goods vehicle charging station. In the coming years, the port’s truck parking area aims to have an output capacity of more than one megawatt.
“The charging station is going to need an independent electrical connection. It may take up to a year to get it, since the network companies’ services are in high demand. However, we will soon be able to build and the station should open in October”, says Lauri Keskinen, Head of Charging-as-a-Service at Plugit Finland Oy.
Plugit has rare experience in the field: among other things, it opened Finland’s first public electric charging station for heavy goods vehicle traffic in Tampere in 2023. The company plans to increase the charging network along key transport routes.
“Stations cannot be established just anywhere, since they require a fair amount of space, among other conditions. In Turku, this was not a problem. Fast-charging technology is already quite advanced, but such stations require significant investments in equipment and groundwork. The station in Turku’s truck parking area calls for an investment of approximately EUR 1 million”, Keskinen says.
During a fast charge of about 15–45 minutes, drivers can take their statutory break. On the other side of the road, there is a service station with a large buffet.
At the moment, there are still so few electric trucks that there is no need to reserve a charging time for the station.
New break room
In addition to the electric charging station, the Port of Turku has also fulfilled other wishes presented by professional drivers and customers in the Port’s customer satisfaction survey and discussion sessions.
“Professional drivers expressed a desire for a break room equipped with a shower and toilets. So, we built just such a facility in the West Harbour and added a microwave as well”, Pakanheimo adds.
The space is located within an ISPS area, so an access pass is required. The pass can be requested from the company at the port with which the transport company is dealing. Staying overnight in the area is prohibited.
Text: Sari Järvinen
Photos: Sari Järvinen, Jarmo Piironen & Port of Turku
Reinstitution of the gatekeeper
There are very few gatekeepers still working in ports, since they have been gradually replaced by automation and technology. Cameras and devices are now used to open the booms.
Many customers stated, however, that they missed having actual gatekeepers.
“In our customer survey, we received praise for the quality and speed of our services but, at the same time, respondents expressed a desire for personal service at the gates. There are four distinct seasons in Finland and gate cameras are not always able to correctly identify license plates”, says Pauliina Roti, HR and Security Manager at the Port of Turku.
Since last year, customers have been served at the Gate Control point in West Harbour not only by technology but also by an actual person. The gatekeeper is present on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and, if necessary, assists in matters related to access passes and movement within the area. The gatekeeper ensures that traffic runs smoothly and help can be found quickly.
The access pass procedure remains otherwise unchanged.
The Port of Turku plans to continue developing its services in the future as well.
“The service level of access control will be further modified to reflect the needs of our customers”, Roti says.
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