Marina Hasselblatt awarded title of Port Hampuusi for 2024

Marina Hasselblatt, a native of Vaasa, was introduced to life at sea at a young age while working during the summers on vessels operating between Vaasa and Sweden. Her path led her to Turku to study business at Åbo Akademi University, during which time she had the opportunity to work in travel sales for SeaWind Line, a subsidiary of Silja Line. The cargo side of the business opened to Hasselblatt in 1993, when she began working in Silja Line’s cargo bookings department.

“The world has changed a lot since that time and it feels like the pace of change just keeps accelerating. Although the transport of cargo is considered to be a very traditional form of business, it is constantly evolving and many things are being done differently now. The development of maritime and road transport is increasingly governed by different regulations. Technological developments have made the operations more efficient and functional, and it is even possible nowadays to transfer information between different actors in real time. One practical example of this is the mobile driver check-in system”, says Hasselblatt.

One of the biggest catalysts of change is the increase in environmental awareness.

“EU directives set their own requirements, but customers and their customers are also calling for greener transports. Environmental friendliness has become an important aspect of competition and companies are prepared to invest in order to strengthen this area. These expectations concern the entire transport chain and we are currently working with them to make improvements and implement changes.”

The Turku route is important for Tallink Silja Line and our customers. I hope that, in the future, we will be able to get back to operating the route with two ships.

Co-operation with different actors is also an integral part of other aspects of Marina Hasselblatt’s work.

For years, she has been involved in co-operative groups formed by the Port of Turku and various actors, the aim of which has been to develop the operations and services of the port and to market the Port of Turku at fairs and events both at home and abroad.

Ferry Terminal Turku is developing the port

“All of the actors at the Port of Turku share a great sense of community spirit and discuss matters openly. The Port of Turku listens to its customers and endeavours to work with its partners to evolve port operations. One of the most recent examples of this is the new Ferry Terminal Turku project. This has ensured that the everyday challenges involved in daily shipping traffic have been taken into consideration as part of the construction of the new joint terminal”, says Marina Hasselblatt.

Marina Hasselblatt eagerly awaits the completion of Ferry Terminal Turku. She believes that the results of the extensive planning will pay off as the joint terminal will significantly increase the functionality of port services.

“Digitality and other modern technologies will also improve the efficiency of cargo traffic services and the safety of port operations. The new Ferry Terminal Turku will heighten interest in Turku and strengthen growth opportunities for both cargo and passenger traffic. The final result will benefit all the operators within the port and the entire urban community”, Marina Hasselblatt asserts.

A vision for the future

Speaking of the future, Marina Hasselblatt is also thinking about her own personal hopes and dreams.

“Before I retire, I would still like to be involved in developing something new, because the construction of new things has always been the driving aspect of this work for me. So far, no two days have been the same, and that’s a trend I’d like to see continue. It would also be great if, in the future, we could get another vessel for the traffic between Turku and Stockholm that would make it possible to even further improve the service for cargo customers.”

Text: Kari Ahonen
Photos: Markku Koivumäki