Finnish Logistics Know-How Now Accessible to All

HELSINKI, April 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Finland is known for its logistics expertise. Solid proof of this is its 3rd place position in the Logistics Performance Index 2012 survey, which measures the quality of the logistics environment and services in 155 countries from a customer perspective.

Approximately 90% of Finnish exports and around 70% of imports are carried out by sea. Finland has a dense network of ports, which operates reliably all year round. The country's largest general port, HaminaKotka, also serves as an important transit hub for Russia. In air traffic, Helsinki has profiled itself as a hub between the US and Asia. Finland is located along a number of important transport corridors, such as the Nordic Triangle, the E-18 motorway, the Trans-Siberian railway, the Rail Baltica and the Barents link.

Single-window access to logistics information

Thanks to good transport connections, the logistics sector in Finland is a major employer with a large number of operators. Various authorities, organisations and businesses produce a wealth of logistics-related information. Challenges have arisen from the fact that it is difficult to gain an overall picture because the information is fragmented and difficult to get hold of. This situation was remedied with the launch of Finland's logistics portal this spring. The portal contains, among other things, logistics information issued by national authorities, strategies, news, statistics, surveys and logistics service providers. Based on the one-window principle, it provides links to various sources and original information, thus ensuring that the information is up to date and reliable.

The initial comments from the users of the portal have been positive. "It's great to have the logistics information in one place. We hope to see the information contents of the portal broaden over time and serve international customers, in particular," says Elina Multanen, Executive Director of Straightway Finland. The maps and logistics news found on the front page have received a lot of praise. The news provide a good picture of what is happening in the Finnish logistics sector. Business people have been delighted by the comprehensive statistics and surveys and the possibility to read the page using tablets and smartphones.

Take a look: http://www.loginfo.fi/web/en

The portal was set up by the North European Logistics Institute with regional development funding granted by the Regional Council of Kymenlaakso.

Text: Teija Suoknuuti