The « New Northern Europe » and the FSU
The fall of the Soviet Union, in the beginning of the 1990´s, made space for
the resurrection of a geographical area, made up of the countries surrounding
the Baltic Sea, i.e. the « St.Petersburg-Moscow-Murmansk » triangle,
Scandinavia, Finland, the Independant Baltic States and the northern provinces
of Germany and Poland. These markets, together representing 40 million
consumers, can be reached 24 hours by truck from Finland.
Finland as a Gateway to the New Northern Europe and the Former Soviet
Union.
Finland, the youngest member in the European Union, is playing a key-role in
transport and distribution towards the fastest growing markets area in Europe,
the so-called « New Northern Europe » and towards the Former Soviet Union.
The « natural » Gateway...
Being the most northern Gateway to the FSU, Finland has seen its volumes in
transitcargo growing rapidely and steadely via its Ports. Especially the ports
of Kotka and Hamina, in Southeast Finland have known an exponential growth over
the last six years, this due to various factors, making the region a
« natural » Gateway to Russia:
- the only direct bordercrossing between the E.U. into Russia
- geographically nearby Russia´s biggest population centres
- modern seaports with high discharge capacity and no congestion
- frequent linerservices from the main feederports in Europe
- direct railconnections from the ports to Russia (same rail gauge as in
Russia)
- excellent E-18 motorwayconnection to St-Petersburg and Moscow
- stable and safe social- and political business environment
- multiple possibilities for warehousing and value-added logistics
activities near the ports, the borderstation and the interland (logistics
centrum Kouvola at 40 kms north of Kotka)
- many transport companies with high-payload « roadtrain »-trucks for
flexible and reliable transito
- airport with international status for airfreight and private jet-traffic
... and an excellent business location.
Next to being a transito Gateway for Your cargo, Southeast Finland is THE
place in the Baltic region for establishing Your decentralised distribution
center, only a few hours away from the Russian, Baltic and Scandinavian
markets, in an economical, political and social stable environment.