ESL Shipping and SSAB’s port operations in Raahe develop safety together

ESL Shipping and Raahe port cooperation. Photos: ESL Shipping

ESL Shipping and the port operations of SSAB’s Raahe site have worked closely together on safety for many years. ESL Shipping’s vessels are a near-daily sight in the Port of Raahe, as the company’s handysize vessels transport raw materials to the SSAB Raahe site, while coaster vessels carry finished products to global markets.

The foundation of this cooperation lies in regular safety meetings, where both safety and operational matters are discussed openly. Success is built on a culture where all parties are open to development ideas and, even in problem situations, the focus is not on assigning blame but on improving operations.

“A positive cycle is created when development ideas are received on both sides with appreciation rather than offense. The proximity of SSAB and its port is not only a logistical advantage, but it has also created a unique and close-knit safety culture for us,” says Ari Hurula, Regional Director at ESL Shipping.

Key tools in safety cooperation with SSAB include sharing safety observations, safety walks, and regular safety and emergency exercises.

“Safety is a fully shared responsibility for us. Close cooperation and regular safety meetings have improved our response time to reported deviations and helped us anticipate situations before they escalate. We develop operations together and seek solutions on both sides to stay one step ahead in demanding environments at the port and on vessels,” says Ari Harju, Port Manager at SSAB Raahe.

Fire exercise on vessel Haaga.

Joint fire exercise

The most recent example of close cooperation was a fire exercise on board the vessel Haaga, carried out together with the port of SSAB’s Raahe site and the site fire brigade. The aim was to give the ship’s crew experience of the type of support available from a shore-based fire brigade in a fire situation, while also improving the site fire brigade’s understanding of the fire-fighting capabilities on board the vessel. The exercise also allowed the entire port organization to practice operations in fire situations and communication between different stakeholders.

“Ship crews regularly train for fire situations, but there is no routine for joint exercises with the port. Exercises like this are highly valuable, and we will continue similar joint exercises with the port in the future,” says Suvi-Tuuli Lappalainen, Safety Manager at ESL Shipping.

ESL Shipping in brief 

ESL Shipping Ltd is the leading carrier of dry bulk cargoes in the Baltic region. ESL Shipping’s competitive edge is based on its ability to responsibly secure product and raw material transportation for industries and energy production all year round, even in difficult weather conditions. The shipping company loads and unloads large ocean liners at sea as a special service. ESL Shipping Ltd has been in business for over 75 years and is a subsidiary of Aspo Plc. The fleet of ESL Shipping consists of around 40 vessels with cargo capacity ranging from 4,000 to 25,000 dwt.