Swedish e-fuel plant developer Liquid Wind and Finnish energy company Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto (TSE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of an e-fuel facility in Naantali The facility is planned to be adjacent to TSE’s local power plant which will deliver biogenic CO2 and steam for the production of e-methanol adding that the process and waste heat of its own facility will be used for district heat reducing the share of incineration-based district heat production by TSE the e-fuel facility is expected to produce 100,000 tons/a of e-methanol made from green hydrogen and biogenic CO2 The final investment decision (FID) is planned for 2026 and the facility is expected to be operational in 2029 Liquid Wind is the main project developer and has started the environmental impact assessment and permitting process The parties will jointly explore the possibilities of ensuring a sufficient supply of renewable electricity to produce e-methanol Note that e-methanol is considered a versatile commodity that can replace fossil fuels in hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping and aviation while reducing CO2 emissions commented: “We are very happy to announce the development of our eFuel collaboration project with TSE we are combining our companies’ strengths to promote and accelerate the clean energy transition both locally and globally we will focus on CCU and the reuse of CO2 and waste heat we aim to support the transition by allowing our off-takers to shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon eFuel produced at this facility.” stated: “This is an important project for us to achieve the climate goals of our owners and to secure renewable district heating for the Turku region in the future We are very pleased that TSE is involved in promoting concrete domestic hydrogen economy projects supporting the creation of future energy systems This agreement solidifies our cooperation with Liquid Wind and enables the production of renewable fuel in Naantali.” concluded: “This large investment project is an important step in the green transition of the former Neste harbor area which the city is committed to Responsibility plays an important role in the city’s strategy The Naantali eMethanol production facility fulfills both of our strategic goals.” Liquid Wind signed a collaboration agreement with engineering company Samsung E&A to accelerate the development of e-fuel projects beyond Europe – in Asia The deal aims to combine the companies’ expertise to evaluate collaboration in e-fuel facility development extending Liquid Wind’s reach and ongoing business development Earlier, in November, Liquid Wind secured €44 million in Series C financing to support the development of e-fuel facilities which is said to be one of the largest funding rounds in Europe for e-fuels in 2024 Liquid Wind said the financing will help meet the increasing demand for low-carbon fuels in the shipping industry and support the development of ten e-fuel facilities by 2027 as part of the company’s vision of reaching 500 facilities globally by 2050 Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas The performance of new and existing jack-ups 1fr);grid-auto-rows:auto;max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 2.0rem 0 2.0rem;}.css-tg00bh>*{position:relative;}@media screen and (min-width: 600px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(4 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 3.2rem 0 3.2rem;}}@media screen and (min-width: 900px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.4rem;column-gap:2.4rem;padding:0 6.4rem 0 6.4rem;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:3.2rem;column-gap:3.2rem;padding:0 8.0rem 0 8.0rem;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1440px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);grid-auto-rows:auto;max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 0 0 0;}.css-8ag0yp>*{position:relative;}@media screen and (min-width: 600px){.css-8ag0yp{grid-template-columns:repeat(4 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 900px){.css-8ag0yp{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.4rem;column-gap:2.4rem;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.css-8ag0yp{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:3.2rem;column-gap:3.2rem;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1440px){.css-8ag0yp{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 and Kristinestad (Kristiinankaupunki in Finnish) celebrated for their picturesque wooden houses and vibrant cultural heritage 0.7);}.css-i2ouuj:hover{background:rgba(241,248,255,0.2);}.css-i2ouuj:active{background:rgba(241,248,255,0.2);}.css-i2ouuj:focus{background:rgba(241,248,255,0.2);}.css-i2ouuj svg{-webkit-filter:drop-shadow( 2px 2px 10px rgba(0 0.7));filter:drop-shadow( 2px 2px 10px rgba(0 0.7);padding:1.6rem 2.4rem;text-align:left;-webkit-transition:all 0.2s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.2s ease-in-out;}.css-11b0a0:hover{background:rgba(241,248,255,0.2);}.css-11b0a0:active{background:rgba(241,248,255,0.2);}.css-11b0a0:focus{background:rgba(241,248,255,0.2);}.css-11b0a0 svg{-webkit-filter:drop-shadow( 2px 2px 10px rgba(0 allowing for an extended adventure through Finland's stunning archipelago renowned for its countless islands and serene natural beauty Open image viewerThe drugs were found in a hidden compartment in a car arriving from Sweden Image: Tulli/TullenYle News12.7.2024 10:06Finnish Customs seized 15 kilos of cocaine from a car that arrived at the Port of Naantali in June with the authority calling the find "one of the largest narcotics seizures" in the ports of the Turku region "The amount that was now seized is large in comparison to last year when Customs seized 16 kilos of cocaine in total," said lead investigator Kimmo Kaunisto from the Customs’ investigation unit in Turku The total street value of the cocaine was estimated at around 2.25 million euros and the seized amount would have yielded roughly 150,000 doses the drugs were intended for distribution in the Helsinki region Authorities uncovered the cocaine in a concealed compartment built into a car bearing a foreign registration plate The car was arriving on a ferry from Sweden and was driven by a person residing in Denmark Customs said it has cooperated with investigative authorities from other EU countries The Romanian national arrested during the investigation remains in custody The case is being investigated as an aggravated drug offence Following negotiations with representatives of its employees that yielded no feasible solution for enabling continued and competitive refining operations in Naantali Neste has decided to shut down the refinery by the end of March 2021 Neste will transform the Naantali refinery—already home to Finland’s fifth-largest harbor in terms of traffic volume—exclusively into a harbor and distribution terminal as well as upgrade its 206,000-b/d refinery in the Kilpilahti industrial area of Porvoo to co-processing renewable and circular raw materials The business transformation comes amid Neste’s determination that demand for fossil-based fuel products—which has been drastically reduced by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—will continue to decline with no expectation of recovery to previous levels The company said this permanent decline in demand for petroleum-based products requires fundamental changes to secure competitiveness of Neste’s business including increasing its share of renewable energy solutions in line with what will be continued growth for these energy sources moving forward Another core focus of the transformation will be to improve the productivity and adaptivity to market changes of Neste’s remaining oil products business “The changes will support the transformation of the Porvoo refinery into a leading sustainable and efficient refinery,” said Peter Vanacker Neste’s president and chief executive officer While the transformation will not affect security of fuel distribution supply in Finland shuttering of the Naantali refinery—following recent discussions with employee representatives—now will result in about 370 personnel redundancies “[Some jobs] will cease to exist [under the transformed oil products operating model] but completely new jobs will also be created,” Vanacker said without disclosing additional details Neste said it expects proposed changes to its business under the planned transformation would result in annual fixed-cost savings of about €50 million the Naantali was revamped to produce diesel and specialty products and maintain an important role in producing feedstocks Gasoline components produced at Naantali were refined into finished products at Porvoo with Naantali’s terminal capacity used for distributing Porvoo’s gasoline production Consolidation of the two Finnish refineries enabled Neste to increase diesel output alongside a simultaneous reduction in heavy fuel oil production from the integrated unit Robert Brelsford joined Oil & Gas Journal in October 2013 as downstream technology editor after 8 years as a crude oil price and news reporter on spot crude transactions at the US Gulf Coast He holds a BA (2000) in English from Rice University and an MS (2003) in education and social policy from Northwestern University NA4 CHP is a multi-fuel combined heat and power (CHP) plant that is being constructed at the existing site of the NA1 NA2 and NA3 coal-fired power plants in Naantali 900GWh of electricity and 1,650GWh of heat It will replace the NA1 and reduce the capacity of NA2 The project is being implemented by a consortium of Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto (TSE) city of Kaarina (3%) and city of Naantali (3%) The combined heat and power plant will have an installed capacity of 244MW of heat Its annual output will be 900GWh of electricity and 1,650GWh of heat Project plans were initiated by TSE in April 2014 The engineering phase began in May 2014 and commissioning is scheduled in late 2017 It is expected to generate approximately 500 construction jobs at peak and 250 full-time jobs The overall cost for the development of the new plant is expected to reach approximately €260m ($291m) A €210m ($235m) loan for the project is being provided by Pohjola Bank while TSE was advised by Castrén & Snellman The remaining amount is being contributed by project shareholders The project will primarily involve the construction of the boiler and turbine buildings bio-fuels receiving and storage facilities construction of the boiler building is on the verge of completion the piling and foundation work has begun for the flue gas treatment system as well as the ash silo area The foundation laying for the turbine and its ancillary equipment has started and foundations for the conveyer and chimney have been completed Hanhikivi 1 is a planned nuclear power plant in Pyhäjoki The multi-fuel power plant is designed to operate using biomass which will be used as the primary feedstock will comprise mainly woodchips sourced either locally from a radius of approximately 100km to 150km around the plant site or shipped The plant is expected to initially use approximately 700,000m³ of woodchips which is expected to increase to 1.2m cubic metres The plant’s biomass handling facility will comprise three reception lines a 120m long storage building with a storage capacity of 15,000m³ and two reclaimers with a combined reclaiming capacity of 700m³ an hour will be integrated with existing facilities A main component of the power plant is the boiler which will be based on circulating fluidised bed technology The fully automated facility can be remotely controlled Circulating fluidised bed technology involves feeding fuel to a fluidising material bed comprised of sand which rapidly mixes with the solid fuel/fuels drying and burning any crushed material below the size of 50mm The plant emits very little nitrogen oxide due to low-temperature operations (below 900°C) CO₂ emissions are low due to good mixing properties and limestone being injected into the furnace which binds sulphur dioxide and enables the removal of sulphur in solid form High-pressure heat and steam from the boiler are fed to the steam turbine where a generator integrated into the turbine shaft converts them into electricity Excess heat from the turbine is conveyed to district heat exchangers and condensed for district heating purposes while the excess steam is distributed either for reuse by the power plant or supplied to industrial customers construction and commissioning (EPCM) contractor for the project is Pöyry Valmet is supplying the boiler for the power plant The company was also contracted to supply its DNA automation and safety interlocking systems for the plant Siemens is supplying its SST-800 and SST-500 steam turbines including an SGen5-100A-2P series generator who will also perform electrification works at the project site Shut-off valves and pipe fittings will be supplied by KSB Finland The main transformer will be supplied by ABB whereas the 110kV connection and power transmission lines will be laid by Siemens Solid fuel-handling systems will be supplied by Raumaster and a desalination plant at the site will be provided by Flootech Pressure vessels and storage tanks will be supplied by Mercell while plate heat exchangers will be supplied by Sondex Tapiro Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Fortum logoFortum logoFortum It is owned by Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto Oy (TSE) Fortum's shareholding in TSE is 53.5% The power plant is operated and maintained by Turun Seudun Energia steam for industrial customers and district heating for the Turku region The heat is transferred to the nearby cities by a long district heating tunnel The power plant's heat capacity is 350 MW The new multifuel plant was inaugurated in 2017 The new CHP plant partly replaced the 50-year-old coal-fired plant This multifuel plant produces 1400 GWh of district heat 200 GWh of process steam and 800 GWh of electricity annually Due to the deployment of the new fuel conveyor Read more here Read more here - External link © Fortum 2025. All rights reserved. Turku region trafficHome / Föli celebrates its 10th anniversary on 1 July 2024Föli celebrates its 10th anniversary on 1 July 2024news Föli traffic started on 1 July 2014 in Turku up to 100,000 journeys a day are made in Föli and customer satisfaction remains high year after year with the Föli area now expanding to Paimio The City of Paimio joined Föli at the beginning of 2024 and joint traffic operations begin today The first electric buses began operating in Turku in 2016 on line 1 – a route linking the harbour FöIi operates 105 electric buses and already more than half of Föli's kilometres are driven electrically Föli was the first in Finland and one of the first in the world to switch to an identification-based payment system which means that the travel card data is stored in the background system and not in the physical card The upgrading of the payment system has also made it possible to introduce joint tickets for FöIi and events issue a joint ticket meaning that the event ticket includes Föli travel and does not require a separate bus ticket Other business services have also been developed in recent years which enables employers to offer an easy employment benefit to their employees Föli's water bus service between the River Aura and Ruissalo started with one water bus The much appreciated water bus service has since been regularised and today there are two water buses that run during the summer season from the River Aura to Ruissalo and Hirvensalo Around 60,000 journeys are made by water buses every summer with over 365,000 journeys made on the bikes during the 2023 Fölläri season contactless payment was introduced in Föli the first local transport service to do so in Finland You can therefore pay for your Föli ride using contactless payment by debit or credit card Contactless payments have been warmly welcomed with more than 2.5 million trips made with them last year alone Other payment methods are still available so you can pay for your trip by travel card mobile app or cash in addition to the contactless payment accessibility has been improved over the years to make public transport possible for all buses have featured announcements to indicate the name of the next bus stop Guidance materials have been produced in many different languages There are also pictorial communication instructions for Föli services produced in cooperation with Papunet by the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities The FöIi plain-language website was launched in 2023 the best year in FöIi's history was 2017 in the wake of the renovation of the Market Square and the COVID-19 pandemic we are fast approaching and possibly exceeding the figures for that record year Föli won the international European BEST Survey for the fourth consecutive time BEST (Benchmarking in European Service of Public Transport) is a European cooperative network that conducts an annual survey to map resident satisfaction with public transport in its member cities Ninety percent of passengers travelling daily were satisfied with Föli The new frequent trunk lines will usher in a new era for Föli and the renewal will bring a new look to the entire bus network within Turku The new network will be based on trunk lines that run so frequently that you can set off for your stop regardless of the timetable making public transport even easier to use there will be supporting lines such as school lines inter-municipal services and regional services In August and September, Föli invites customers to pick sunflowers from sunflower fields accessible by bus in municipalities in the Föli area. The locations of the fields will be published on foli.fi/en/10years (Opens in a new tab)later in the summer Neste Oil Corporation is a refining and marketing company which has two refineries in Finland The two refineries have a combined refining capacity of more than 14 million tonnes per annum Neste Oil Corporation is a refining and marketing company which has two refineries in Finland The refinery has facilities for crude distillation and vacuum distillation several products used mainly in agriculture traffic and transport are produced from the refinery Running on heavy sweet Russian crude input the Naantali refinery can distil three million tonnes per annum (58,000bpd) on average and can store more than one million cubic metres of crude oil and petroleum products The refinery is fully compliant with ISO 14001 ISO 9001:2000 and OHSAS 18001 requirements In 2007 the refinery began implementing an enterprise asset management system designed by enterprise applications company IFS as part of a €2m contract A new hydrocracking unit was also proposed to be built at the Naantali refinery and the basic engineering for the expansion project ended in September 2008 the expansion plan was concluded to be unfeasible due to poor global economic conditions in 2008 and the high cost of capital The refinery employs approximately 350 people The refinery underwent maintenance and modernisation respectively in September 2007 and April 2012 They were fitted with the Neles ND9000 intelligent valve controllers and approximately 40 Neles ValvGuard partial-stroke testing systems of safety valves Metso’s device and asset management software was implemented for configuring and condition monitoring of the refinery’s field equipment About 1,200 devices in the refinery have been connected to FieldCare Neste invested €60m for the maintenance of the facility It involved maintenance of the plant equipment and replacement of a number of furnaces at the plant A new refinery-wide automation system named metsoDNA was installed at the Naantali site in 2007 The new system was supplied by Metso and combined the various phases that were controlled as separate units into a single complete process-monitoring and control unit The Naantali refinery unit had previously housed the Metso Automation Damatic Classic automation system The older system could not be expanded further so had to be replaced by a more modern system The new automation project started at Metso Automation in 2005 and was completed in 2007 The new system is expected to have a lifecycle of about 12 years Approximately 25% of the cost was incurred for 500 different items of new equipment As a part of the implementation of the new automation system new operator interfaces were installed in place of the XD systems the refinery’s distributed control systems (DCS) were not completely replaced An oil spill occurred at the refinery on 9 November 2006 The spillage happened when one of the refinery’s thermal catalytic cracking (TCC) units During the incident between one and two cubic metres of vacuum gas oil were released out of which about 500l spilled into the sea the company took all necessary precautionary measures against further oil spills A similar spillage occurred at the refinery in December 2001 for which the company was fined €500,000 by the Supreme Court of Finland The Naantali refinery generates components which The refinery yields value-added speciality petroleum products small-engine gasoline and competition gasoline More than ten percent of the output is bitumen which is principally used in road construction and building products The entire consignment of crude oil refined at Naantali is delivered by sea is Finland’s fifth largest to date and all tankers operating in the Baltic Sea can berth at the harbour Overland and sea transportation modes are used to transport the refinery’s end products to customers About 60% of the products are carried overland Mooring boats are used to transport products between the harbour and the refinery for Neste Oil’s activities in the harbour The Fortum Oil and Gas Oy (subsequently renamed to Neste Oil Corporation) Porvoo refinery at Kilpilahti undertook an upgrade and expansion of its diesel production facilities in August 2004 The expansion started on a 4.5ha site and required an investment of over €50m over a two-year period which lies 30km north of Stavanger in Norway processes rich gas from central parts of the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) and unstabilised condensate from the Sleipner area of the North Sea View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Zoe Hume and Naantali Marshall will be completing their first Pier to Pub as a family THE Pier to Pub swim will again make a huge splash in Lorne tomorrow (Saturday The event is returning for its 45th year and is slated to feature more than 6,000 swimmers of all levels Participants will enter the water at Lorne Pier and cover a 1.2km distance toward the Lorne Surf Life Saving Club with the quickest time of 10 minutes and 2 seconds recorded by Sam Sheppard in 2016 politicians and local residents are among those who will pull in swimming caps and dive in Previous winner Lani Pallister will return and Olympian Nick Sloman is locked in as is former AFL footballer and incumbent Lorne Dolphins coach Ed Curnow For Anglesea’s Naantali Marshall and Jas Hume family bragging rights will be on the line in the premier Superfish division The pair will become the first mother and daughter duo to compete against each other for the title Naantali is a six-time winner of the Pier to Pub and at age 49 has no plans to slow down “I’m feeling super-relaxed ahead of the race than I ever have “I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to perform it’s more about the kids and just being part of it “I’m thrilled to be doing the Superfish with Jas I’m sure she’s going to beat me but that’s what I’d probably like!” is looking to follow in her mum’s footsteps with the aim of competing the swim in 13 minutes and 30 seconds Father Sam (33 Pier to Pub starts) and youngest daughter Zoe (12 years old) will also be competing in the event “It’ll be the first time we are all doing it as a family I’m at my 32nd and this will be Zoe’s first She’s the least interested in swimming in the family but we are very proud she’s giving it a go “This race means so much to my husband and me and we can’t wait to all compete.” The Lorne SLSC also hosts the Mountain to Surf For more information, head to the event websites. Tucked away on a small island west of Turku is a quaint blue house that would be recognized by many a literature-loving Finn It is the house of the famous fictional Moomin family The stories of this lovable troll family were told by the Finnish author Tove Jansson in several children's books and comics written between 1945 and 1970 The Moomin series was a massive success and led to many spinoffs that continue up until today.  The full-sized Moomin House on the island of Kailo is modeled on Jansson's drawings in the books It is an oddly shaped abode said to be based on an old cockle stove a kind of fireplace that the Moomin's ancestors lived behind It is tall and round and painted a whimsical blueberry blue with a red cone roof Moomin World is open daily from mid-June to mid-August. An eccentric 18th century naval officer built a ship's quarterdeck on his roof, the inspiration for Mary Poppins's "Admiral Boom." The writing studio of an American adventure author, built in the style of a medieval castle. This fairytale-inspired cottage was created by a university literature professor. The eccentric mansion of one of the most popular horror authors of modern times. After playing in this house and its gardens as a child, J.M. Barrie credited it for helping inspire the story of Peter Pan. The Catskills retreat of naturalist writer John Burroughs. This impeccably preserved farmstead is a time capsule of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist's life. A small house sits between two huge rocks, with its back to the sea. or cyanobacteria have been observed off Finland's southwest coast this summer or cyanobacteria in the Archipelago Sea have already become catastrophic in places according to resident nature photographer Jaakko Ruola "I've never experienced a summer like this before," said Ruola who six years ago co-founded the Operation Unique Archipelago Sea campaign he has been working hard to get decision-makers and the public interested in the ecological state of the fragile Archipelago Sea I myself got to experience the clear waters I would love for my grandchildren and future generations to experience the same joys," Ruola told Yle Open image viewerA cyanobacteria bloom in Naantali. Image: Jaakko RuolaHigh levels this summerThis summer, Emilia Pohto, a university trainee at the Ely Centre for Southwest Finland, has been monitoring blue-green algae in southwest Finland. According to her, there have been several sightings of blue-green algae on the Järvi-Meri Wiki websiteOpens an external website in the last few days "Blue-green algae is very abundant and in many places it is especially abundant," Pohto said The Ely Centre's current assessment is based on observations from standard monitoring points and from the public The number of blue-green algae blooms always depends on local conditions: "Huge surface patches are less likely to form where there is more water flow that's where the bacterial blooms are more likely to appear," Pohto said Specialist Scientist and Head of the Changing Baltic Group at the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) told Yle that blue-green algae may have increased slightly during the past week Comprehensive satellite images are not available due to cloud cover and changes have also been visible in the Gulf of Bothnian over the past few days Several years of monitoring have shown an increase in blooms in the Gulf of Bothnia the previously sporadic blue-green algae rafts in the Gulf of Bothnia seem to have become an everyday occurrence," Fleming said children and pets must not be allowed into contaminated water The institute has advised that children or pets suspected of having been exposed to contaminated water should be thoroughly washed with clean water Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here Tokmanni     Press release     23 May 2024 at 12:20 p.m Tokmanni variety discount store chain has entered into a long-term lease agreement for a store space in the new business centre to be built on Rautakatu in Naantali If the zoning and other official matters proceed according to the planned schedule Tokmanni's goal is to celebrate the opening of the new Tokmanni store in the new shopping centre at the beginning of 2026 at the latest The new Tokmanni store in Naantali will be about 3,800 square meters of space which will enable offering a very wide range of products to permanent and leisure residents of Naantali and its surrounding areas as well as to other people visiting the city as is characteristic of a variety discount retailer a very extensive and diverse product range related to The product assortment will also highlight different products related to the yard and garden The Tokmanni Group’s network of stores will continue to grow and renew Tokmanni has announced that it will open new stores this year in the Entresse shopping centre in Espoo, Eurajoki, Nikkilä in Sipoo and Sodankylä the store openings will be celebrated at the end of this year Tokmanni’s goal is to celebrate the opening of the new Tokmanni store in October-November this year the new store will replace the existing one the store to be opened in the Entresse shopping centre in Espoon keskus in Espoo will replace the Tokmanni store that has been serving its customers for a long time in the neighboring Espoontori shopping centre The openings of the latest new Tokmanni stores were celebrated in Pälkäne and Söderkulla in Sipoo at the beginning of April. In the Columbus shopping centre in Vuosaari in Helsinki the variety discount retailer closed its Tokmanni store in mid-April due to the expiration of the lease Neste Corp. will proceed with a previously announced plan to invest €60 million in the 3 million-tonne/year (tpy) Naantali refinery in Findland as part of the company’s broader program to keep its European operations competitive through consolidation of its Finnish refining assets (OGJ Online, Oct. 7, 2014) which will be used to carry out various utility-related enhancements intended to simplify the refinery’s structure and improve its processing efficiency follows the company’s October 2014 decision to closely integrate the plant with the 9.8 million-tpy Porvoo refinery so that the sites will operate as a single system Naantali will continue to produce diesel and specialty products gasoline components produced at Naantali will be refined into finished products at Porvoo with Naantali’s terminal capacity to be used for distributing Porvoo’s gasoline production Integration of the Naantali-Porvoo operations also will enable increased diesel production alongside a simultaneous reduction in heavy fuel oil output Neste said the refining consolidation program is scheduled to be completed and the new Naantali-Porvoo operating model fully commissioned by mid-2017 €100-million planned maintenance turnaround at the Porvoo refinery which alongside standard 5-year maintenance to ensure safe and reliable operations also involved the following projects related to the refinery’s future development: • Installation of furnaces in the crude oil distilling unit • Replacement of automation in several unidentified areas of the refinery • Preparation of connections for other unidentified, future investment projects (OGJ Online, June 16, 2015; Mar. 23, 2015) Neste also plans to build a €200-million solvent deasphalt (SDA) feedstock pretreatment unit at Porvoo as part of the €500-million refining consolidation and integration program Neste let a contract to Neste Jacobs Oy to provide engineering and construction management services for the SDA project Designed to improve the refinery’s production structure and ability to optimize its crude slate the SDA unit is scheduled to be completed in 2017 Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected] The funding is also said to augment the investments made by Ports of Stockholm to meet service demands of customers and future needs the EU decided to support eight Swedish infrastructure projects with grants from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Fund Two of the projects are Ports of Stockholm initiatives to promote a stronger Stockholm region with the goal to strengthen the links between the Port of Kapellskär and the Port of Naantali to reduce emissions of air pollutants within the port areas “We are very happy that the agreement with the EU has now been signed The development of Port of Kapellskär is strategically significant for sustainable shipping,” Bino Drummond (M) using routes such as Naantali to Kapellskär ensures long-term sustainable development and growth of the entire Stockholm region Further development of Port of Kapellskär is therefore something we welcome and prioritize highly.” Port of Kapellskär is part of one of the most important maritime links in Europe for the transport of passengers and cargo and has been designated a comprehensive port within the extensive EU Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) The EU grant is part of the Motorways of the Sea EU priority initiative “Increasing traffic volumes at Port of Kapellskär in combination with the environmental challenges faced by society mean that the benefits of the joint EU project with Port of Naantali will be both effective and sustainable,” Peter Lundman Technical Operations Manager at Port of Kapellskär “I believe that the capabilities to provide onshore power to the vessels and a new passenger tower are excellent competitive solutions for the future.” the project will encompass investments in facilities for the provision of onshore power for vessels at the quayside Connecting to onshore power significantly reduces the environmental impact of vessels in port as the vessels can shut down their engines and operate instead using electricity from the local power grid The project to provide onshore power connections has also been awarded funding from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency To meet customer demand for services and future needs an auto-mooring capability will be installed This will make operations at the quayside safer as loading and unloading times will be reduced to make embarkation and disembarkation easier for foot passengers The project will start during October/November 2020 and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023 1fr);grid-auto-rows:auto;max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 0 0 0;}.css-132ibli>*{position:relative;}@media screen and (min-width: 600px){.css-132ibli{grid-template-columns:repeat(4 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 900px){.css-132ibli{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.4rem;column-gap:2.4rem;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.css-132ibli{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:3.2rem;column-gap:3.2rem;padding:0 8.0rem 0 8.0rem;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1440px){.css-132ibli{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 have left a significant mark on Finnish culture and history and captured the hearts of people around the world.   the author and illustrator behind the Moomins was a pioneer who paved the way for female artists Moomin stories not only entertain children but unfold a deeper meaning for adults Swedish-speaking Jansson brought to light values like inclusion and community that are important pillars of modern Nordic societies.   you can find the Moomins in books and animated TV shows as well as in museums 1fr);grid-auto-rows:auto;max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}.css-1dt7hju>*{position:relative;}@media screen and (min-width: 600px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(4 1fr);max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 900px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1440px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}}.css-sccetv{font-family:Avenir,sans-serif;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;font-size:1.2rem;line-height:1.6rem;color:#6F6F6F;text-align:left;margin-top:1.2rem;}Credits: Sami ValikangasBest places to see the Moomins in FinlandFrom the world’s only Moomin Museum in Tampere to the magical Moominworld in Naantali Finland is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the world of these magical fairytale creatures The Moomin museum is full of stunning exhibitions that portrays how Tove's personal life was translated into the Moomin stories By booking a guided tour or experiencing one of the exhibitions at the museum you can hear how Tove’s romantic relationship with female partner Viveca translated into figures such as Thingumy and Bob hiding a big secret in their suitcase discover how her complex relationship with her father translated into a stubborn Moominpappa and an affectionate mother into the friendly Moominmamma.   you can also experience an immersive walk through the multifaceted historical development of Moomin as a character The museum contains a sizeable collection of Tove Jansson and her partner Tuulikki Pietilä’s drawings and paintings the very original drafts and illustrations as well as other published and unpublished creations of the Moomins.  Credits: © Moomin Characters™ Theme Park created by Dennis Livson3. Moomin Ice Cave, Leppävirta The beloved Moomin characters can also be explored as ice statues in the arctic Moomin Ice Cave in Leppävirta Descend into the mysterious underworld cave or slide down the ice chute to experience butterflies in your stomach The Ice Cave – located near Valtatie 5 (highway no 5) – is a perfect pit stop for families travelling to Kuopio by car.  Credits: Moomin Ice Cave4. Cruises on Tallink-Silja – the official sea carrier of MoominSet sail from Helsinki to Stockholm with the Moomins on board. Tallink-Silja is the official sea carrier of the Moomins offering themed cruises on the Helsinki–Stockholm route with character meet-and-greets There’s also a Moomin Shop onboard — available on ships to both Stockholm and Tallinn — where you can pick up Moomin souvenirs a sea voyage with the Moomins is a charming way to travel between Finland and its neighbours and you’ll feel like you’ve wandered into a little piece of Moominvalley Credits: Ari-Pekka DarthRelive Tove’s childhood adventures in the Finnish ArchipelagoTove Jansson spent most of her summers at the Finnish Archipelago on the West Coast in the Pellinki island (“Pellinge” in Swedish) which is located 50 kilometres from Helsinki and accessible year-round The closeness to nature and the sea as well as her childhood adventures were a source of inspiration to the steep valleys and stormy waters found in Moomin stories.  Traditional Finnish celebrations and partiesDiscover how Finnish people celebrate holidays - a.. Places to goDiscover Finland's unique characteristics and dist.. National Parks in FinlandLearn more about the National Parks in Finland and.. Places to stayFind the perfect accommodations for your vacation .. SIGN UP TODAY!BREAKING NEWS & DAILY NEWSLETTER by | Apr 17, 2019 | Featured the Järvinen family take great pleasure in walking the trails in Old Town Naantali swimming at area beaches and eating locally.Photo/Jarno Terho Although the Järvinen family had talked about the possibility of an intercontinental move for several years they were not totally sure what to expect or how smoothly such a transition might go when the career opportunity arose for Henna Järvinen to direct and manage the Hopkinton-based diagnostics department of PerkinElmer the American medical device company she works for in Turku the family traveled the 4,861 miles (by air) from their cozy home in scenic Naantali and began the journey of assimilating was all in from the beginning,” Järvinen said with a broad smile “We’ve been together now for 20-something years and he has always been a positive and supportive force in my life.” 13-pound border terrier Peppi (named after a fictional superhero of tremendous strength) came along for the adventure of their lives and were thankful for the company’s assistance in relocating to Hopkinton like the mounds of paperwork this kind of move involves finding a healthcare provider and securing appointments when the children had the flu is watching the family home in Finland while other family members are making the long trek overseas for weeks at a time to visit their loved ones in this new setting Janne’s parents came for a week and a half during the initial apartment set-up timeframe and Henna’s parents enjoyed a recent two-week Christmas holiday with the family here Nestori’s cousin (two years his senior) and best friend will be traveling here with Aunt Sannamaria (Henna’s sister) for five weeks in the spring and that brings an amazingly wide smile to his very expressive young face As do video games and American cheeseburgers Each family member agrees their biggest challenge is the language barrier Although children are exposed to English from third grade on aesthetic group gymnastics (a hobby she has enjoyed since age 6) and anything Harry Potter Her parents believe she might be an engineer or scientist one day Liinu finds the math courses challenging at Hopkinton Middle School finds enjoyment connecting with friends via Skype or phone and has fun on weekends with the family taking in sporting events and finding new dog parks to take Peppi Nestori is a fourth-grader at Hopkins School The family often plays a pickup game of basketball outside or catch so it wasn’t a total surprise for Nestori to sign up for the Parks and Recreation in-town basketball program last fall The coaches [Hopkinton High School students] took him in with open arms and gave him the special attention he needed to get comfortable in a new environment,” Henna said “We haven’t pushed the children into any hobbies We’re giving them time to settle in and see what their interests here might be.” Janne and Henna met while taking courses at Turku Vocational Institute for their degrees in food industry followed by several years working together in a local bakery When Henna was given the opportunity to continue her educational training in that industry for another year or take advantage of a brand-new course offering in biotechnology She now holds a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology engineering and a master’s in technology competence management from Turku University of Applied Sciences Henna directs the diagnostics department and oversees about 90 employees here who manufacture liquid handling and microfluidics instruments for applied genomics customers all over the world She enjoys her responsibilities and her colleagues and feels this move was important for her career day-to-day living costs here are quite similar Finland is 13 times bigger than Massachusetts but with a population of only 5 million people (vs there may only be eight hours of light in a given day She finds Americans more optimistic and outgoing The Järvinens do miss the many natural resources surrounding their seaside home in Finland where forests and lakes abound and that has inspired a trip to Niagara Falls when the weather turns warmer They already visited New York City and plan to take the children to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando sometime soon they will reunite with family and friends once again in Naantali “We’re taking things as they come,” Järvinen noted “We’re a tight family unit and confident that we can figure things out the Järvinen family’s beloved border terrier.Photo/Jarno Terho The posts you requested could not be found Try changing your module settings or create some new posts News: Editor@hopkintonindependent.com  Advertising: Sales@hopkintonindependent.com Phone: (508) 435-5188 2025 © Hopkinton Independent. All Rights Reserved. Website Hosting & Maintenance by inConcert Web Solutions We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Sign up for our free newsletter; receive daily updates and breaking news directly to your inbox Finnish shipping company Finnlines has taken delivery of Finncanopus the second of two Superstar-series freight-passenger (ro-pax) vessels The delivery ceremony was held today at the China Merchants Jinling Shipyard in Weihai The homeward voyage from the shipyard is expected to take 6–7 weeks Finncanopus will be nearly fully loaded with freight and will call several ports before entering the Baltic Sea The Finland-flagged 1 A Super ice-class vessel will enter Finnlines’ line between Finland and Sweden (Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär) in February 2024 The new ro-pax vessels are part of Finnlines’ €500 million green newbuilding program The program comprised two hybrid ro-pax and three hybrid ro-ro vessels was delivered to Finnlines in July and it entered the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route in September 2023 Finncanopus will join Finnsirius on the route departing from Naantali in the evening and from Kapellskär in the morning “Our investment programs align with the Grimaldi Group’s strategy aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions The new vessels support customers in their transition towards sustainability and environmental responsibility,” said Tom Pippingsköld President and CEO of Finnlines today at the delivery ceremony in Weihai Shipyard “Finnlines’ EUR 500-million Green Newbuilding Investment Programme This program clearly demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the environment “Finnlines entered the hybrid era last year with the introduction of our new hybrid ro-ro vessels and these Superstar class vessels are further advancing this transition This strategic move enables us to deliver not only more efficient but also more sustainable sea transport services Our substantial investment reinforces our position in providing top-tier services for our customers,” said Juha Ahia The two sister vessels are the largest ro-pax vessels in the Finnlines fleet Both have 5,200 lane metres for cargo and both have been certified to carry 1,100 passengers Tallink Grupp’s Turku-Kapellskär route vessel Baltic Princess will go on dry-dock in Naantali Finland on Turku Repair Yard during 6.-19.3.2023 During the dockings many technical upgrades and underwater hull works will be carried out including maintenance of the vessel’s bow thrusters and also the installation of ballast water treatment plant and commissioning some of the vessel’s passenger areas will be refreshed; carpets will be renewed The curtains in the cabins will also be renewed Baltic Princess will be out of service after arriving in Turku in the evening on Sunday 5th March 2023 and will return to service on Sunday 19th March 2023 with an evening shift from Turku There will be no replacing vessel on the route for that period which operated on the Turku-Stockholm route has been leased to Holland for accommodation since September Top News,Greece Greece has approved an international tender for hydrocarbon exploration in four blocks in the Mediterranean Sea Top News,World Top News,Energy World,Word newsletter The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) participated in the 2025 edition of Sea Asia one of the premier maritime industry events in the Asia-Pacific… Leading mental health support provider MHSS is proud to confirm its commitment to diversity and inclusion with the appointment of two psychologists… Design & Development by P.KAN.DESIGNER Design & Development by P.KAN.DESIGNER (As published in the July 2014 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter) The Israeli military said it carried out airstrikes against Yemen's Hodeidah Port on Monday The offshore rig market recovery appears to have taken a pause with demand tapering off and marketed utilization hitting… Belgium-based offshore installation services company DEME has completed the acquisition Havfram Space Norway and SubCom announced that a contract is in-force for the survey supply and installation of the Arctic Way Cable System we excel in creating stunning illuminated yacht names and logos and cutting-edge LED and fiber optic solutions Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service delivered to your Email five times per week HELSINKI FINLAND JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 58 Members of the media directed their cameras at a screen showing one of the suspects remotely attending her detention hearing at the District Court of Varsinais-Suomi on Friday were detained on probably cause of aggravated child sexual abuse by the District Court of Varsinais-Suomi on Friday Both of the offences are believed to have taken place in the nearly 20,000-resident town one in 2013–2016 and the other in 2013–2015 are held in pre-trial detention for an extended period of time charges against them must be brought by September Southwest Finland Police Department on Wednesday announced it has arrested two people in the case revolving around the stables saying there are “clear indications” of serious sex crimes and other offences but it could increase judging by the number of contacts received by police It also gauged that some of the victims had not stepped forward earlier due to being afraid and receiving threats Turun Sanomat had written about the stables a day earlier reporting that its investigation suggests at least dozens of 12–20-year-old girls have been subjected to sexual harassment and even forced labour Advertisement inquiries and other after-sales issues: info@helsinkitimes.fi Helsinki Times is the first and only English language newspaper providing news about Finland in English A weekly print edition of Helsinki Times was published from March 2007 up until Feb Helsinki Times is an online-only publication and other groups and individuals interested in Finland from all around the world © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Volunteer Role: Nipper coach / water competitor Current Club: Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club How long have you been involved in lifesaving About 37 years but have had periods where I wasn’t active I started as an Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) Nipper at age seven but had five years out between aged 10 and 15 when I was pool swimming more seriously The ocean finally won and I’ve never looked back to the still water.  What made you become involved in lifesaving Initially it was because we had a holiday house in Anglesea but it continued to play such a large part in my life because I just love the ocean I met my husband at Anglesea surf club and now our kids are involved.  It’s an evolving involvement.What are some of your responsibilities at your club I’m mainly coaching the Nippers at the moment but as a family we are getting more involved in the junior activities generally.  It’s not a responsibility but I like to do the odd race to show the kids (and myself) that surf lifesaving is a life skill and hopefully it gives me some credibility as a mentor and coach What do you most enjoy about lifesaving?  I’m very proud of the movement in general and the service we provide to the community.  People in surf lifesaving tend to be selfless volunteers and I’ve met wonderful people and made lifelong friends How do you encourage others to get involved with lifesaving and volunteering As a Nipper Coach I am working from grassroots up just trying to get as many kids as possible to enjoy the water and improve their skills I am looking forward to our Nippers doing their Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) and then their Bronze Medallion before becoming fully-fledged lifesavers.  There are lots of parents who are new to lifesaving as well and it’s been great to see them getting involved and accredited in various areas from Bronze to Officials What is your greatest achievement in lifesaving so far I feel like my greatest achievement has been the longevity and level I achieved whilst living in Melbourne and working full-time.  I didn’t start surf lifesaving competition seriously until I was 23 Before then I dabbled in swim races at carnivals as was still focused on pool swimming.  At 23 I learnt to paddle a board and then pretty soon afterwards (with a lot of hard work) qualified for the Meadow Lea Series (Uncle Toby’s women’s series at the time) and then raced for seven years professionally as an Ironwoman I had just qualified for Meadow Lea when I got my first full-time job in advertising so I decided to give them both a go.  I’m really proud that I stuck it out in chilly Melbourne and proved that you don’t need to move to Queensland to do well.  I placed regularly in the Series and got National and World title medals over multiple events throughout my career  Ski was added to the Ironwoman a few years after I had already been in the Series so I had to quickly learn that discipline too  I was fortunate to have a great group of female training and racing partners – we were from several different clubs but trained together.  It wasn’t unusual to have five or more Victorians in an Open final at Aussies or Worlds.  We had great fun and we also got good results – special mention to my board rescue partner Julia Cullity who was an amazing board paddler and the most reliable team member you could ever wish for I raced for Torquay SLSC for 12 years and they were super supportive and I loved it there but I trained at Anglesea SLSC under Stuart Fox for a short period and then Chris Porter  Near the end of my main competitive years (early 30s!) I moved back to Anglesea SLSC to repay them for the support they gave me even when I wasn’t racing in the green and white More recently I came 3rd in Open in the Coolangatta Gold as a 39 year old mother of two.  The two girls that beat me went on to come first and second in Kellogg’s series that season.  I haven’t raced in Masters that much yet as seem to like to have a few years between each training/racing bout but I go quite well when I make the effort.  This year at Aussies I won the swim board and ironwoman in my age.  It’s nice that the skills and fitness from so many years of hard training are still there My kids are nine and six and they definitely keep me busy with their extra curricular activities but I also work as a travel agent.  Travel was always a passion and after having kids I had a chance to reflect on corporate life and make the career change to something I really enjoy doing myself – I also travel around the world as much as I can making sure I research as many places as I can for my clients!What was the best advice you were ever given and who gave it to you?  There are so many people who have given me extremely valuable advice over the years but probably the best advice came from David Strahan who was the person who encouraged me to try board paddling.  If he hadn’t handed me a board and told me I would enjoy it then I wouldn’t have got as involved and had the long career I have.  He was right that I would love it Chris Porter has given me so much advice I can’t pinpoint anything in particular.  I was really fortunate to have him as a coach for many many years and I continue to hassle him for help  I’ll be looking to him for advice that will hopefully make me half the coach he is.  and website in this browser for the next time I comment TWO PEOPLE have been arrested in connection with a case revolving around SR Talli Southwest Finland Police Department on Wednesday reported that the case entails “clear indications” of offences such as serious sex crimes adding that the number of possible victims stands currently at roughly a dozen but could grow judging by the number of contacts Turun Sanomat wrote about the stables one day earlier revealing that its investigation suggest that at least dozes of 12–20-year-old girls have been subjected to sexual harassment and even forced labour Police have received multiple criminal complaints about the stables and its operators The couple had been actively involved also in the operations of the owner of the premises Southwest Finland Police Department said it has uncovered information supporting the claims made in the report and arrested the couple in conjunction with a search conducted on the premises on Tuesday The investigators are currently of the view that the acts and wrongdoings took place over several years but the possible victims had not stepped forward previously because of fears and threats No further details were provided on grounds that the pre-trial investigation remains in its infancy TESY on Tuesday announced it has terminated its co-operation with the stables which had been used as a shelter for animals taken into custody by animal welfare authorities The couple had also been in charge of the animal rescue vehicle of the society and the man a member of the management committee “Criminal complaints have been filed about the stables A person involved in the stables’ operations today stepped down from the committee,” TESY stated on Facebook added that the decision to terminate the co-operation was made quickly but after careful consideration “These reports of suspected wrongdoings took us completely by surprise We heard about the suspicions first on Monday It is good that the police is investigating the matter It concerns extremely serious accusations,” she said Helsingin Sanomat highlighted that TESY appears to have changed its stance on the matter significantly this week as it declared earlier this week that the report by Turun Sanomat consists mostly of lies Neste’s Naantali refinery is set to shift its focus to port and terminal operations according to the Finnish oil refining company NESTE on Monday announced it is considering reducing its headcount by up to 470 as part of the re-structuring of its refinery operations in Naantali and Porvoo The Finnish oil refining company revealed it is exploring the possibility of shifting its focus to port and terminal operations in Naantali and to the co-processing of renewable and circular raw materials in Porvoo The re-structuring, it said in a press release could lead to the redundancies of a maximum of 470 employees the details of which are to be ironed out in consultative negotiations with employee representatives from its oil products division and support functions in Finland The measures are part of an effort to slash fixed annual costs by around 50 million euros The objective of the measures is to improve productivity resource efficiency and ability to adapt to market changes The measures will have no impact on the security of fuel distribution supply in Finland The company pointed out that the demand for fossil oil products is expected to decline and the share of renewable energy solutions to grow in the coming years argued that it would be viable or sustainable to make the operating and maintenance investments needed in Naantali given the faster-than-expected pace of the energy transition and the large overcapacity for oil refining globally “Although the time is not optimal and this news is unfortunate for many of us the planned actions to develop our refinery operations are urgently needed to maintain operations and strategic capabilities in refining in Finland,” he stated The company added that the coronavirus pandemic has significantly accelerated the decline in demand for traditional oil products with no recovery to the pre-pandemic levels on the horizon but I doubt this will be the last of it,” he said The Finnish government holds 36 per cent of shares in Neste © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Open image viewerThe couple who ran the horse stable were ordered to pay the victims a total of 35,000 euros Image: Kamal Afarin / YleYle News18.8.2023 15:47A couple who ran an equestrian centre in Naantali were sentenced to imprisonment on Thursday for aggravated sexual offences against children The centre was owned by Turku Animal Shelter The District Court of Southwest Finland ruled that the man sexually assaulted two of the victims and the woman assisted the man in the offences The man was also convicted of harassing two other victims The court sentenced the 48-year-old man to three years and nine months in prison for two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and two counts of sexual harassment The 43-year-old woman was sentenced to two years in prison on a charge of complicity in aggravated abuse Girls between the ages of 12 and 20 were subjected to sexual acts of varying degrees throughout the ten years the stable was operating The court ordered the couple to pay tens of thousands of euros in compensation to the victims The man was ordered to pay the victims a total of 35,000 euros including 28,000 euros jointly with the woman Both defendants denied the offences in their preliminary statements to the district court The investigation into the case, which has been going on for several years, started in 2021, when the couple were imprisoned in May and June on suspicion of aggravated sexual abuse of a child between 2013 and 2016. Tauno Vintola says that if you study the Moomins I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Tauno Vintola is able to claim something no one else in the world can he has visited Moominworld in Finland every day The park is only 200 metres from my house and I’m retired and new things happen there almost daily.” but he takes photographs every time he goes hippo-like characters created by national heroine Tove Jansson But what would lead someone to visit the theme park created in their honour every day Vintola had an invite from the owner of Moominworld himself knowing Vintola was a photographer who lived near the park in Naantali asked if he would like free access to the park and the copyright to take photos but he’d be able to sell his Moomin pictures Although there was no commitment as to how often he had to go or how many photos he had to take Vintola has visited the park pretty much every single day that it’s been open And though Moominworld isn’t open year-round “The park is open when it’s closed – anyone can go in to walk around,” he explains His photos of the deserted park aren’t just a contrast to the busy summer pictures; they reassure Moomin superfans that everything’s under control “Of course I miss them too [when the park is closed],” he says of the Moomins That might explain why asking who his favourite character is seems akin to asking him to name his favourite child I can’t choose – it would be rude,” he protests He gets to know the people behind the costumes at the park “In the beginning there was only the Moominhouse and some kiosks; now there are lots of new places different buildings for the different Moomin characters It’s a very different place compared to when it started.” Vintola is the most stable fixture in Moominworld His modus operandi is to start at the Moominhouse – the three-storey conical tower where the Moomin family lives – and improvise from there “Everything happens round the Moominhouse,” he says Vintola exhibits his Moomin photos annually in Naantali he reckons – not as many as you might think but if he takes a better version of the same subject Vintola suggests visiting in either June or August – July is too hot and crowded and younger visitors tend to get fractious – and leaving ample time to explore “It takes easily one or two whole days to enjoy Moominworld.” “One of the best things about Moominworld is that there are no carousels,” he says “It leaves a lot of room for children’s and adults’ imagination and almost every visitor seems thankful for that.” adults too – because Moominworld and the Moomins aren’t just for kids Plenty of child-free grown-ups come to visit the theme park and Vintola insists that the books aren’t just for children: “You must read them again Let that be your reading resolution for 2017.Keep track of Tauno Vintola’s Moominworld photos on his website. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies sexual abuse at Naantali horse shelterTurun Sanomat reports that girls aged between 12 and 20 were mistreated at a stable owned by the Turku Animal Shelter The paper alleges that girls between the ages of 12 and 20 have been subjected to sexual acts of varying degrees throughout the ten years the stable has been up and running and suspicions that young volunteers were encouraged to starve and beat the horses The Police Department of Southwest Finland previously confirmed to Turun Sanomat that four criminal reports have been filed in connection with the case the department tweeted on Tuesday morning that they had received several further reports of suspected crimes in connection with the centre The couple running the stable has collaborated with the Turku Animal Shelter which is the registered owner of the centre The association published a statement on its Facebook pageOpens an external website (in Finnish) in which it accuses the newspaper of spreading misinformation and added that it will respond to the "false allegations" made in the article as soon as possible Story updated on 25.5.2021 at 11:28 to include update on crime reports from the Police Department fo Southwest Finland The department has asked anyone with any information to contact them by email vihjeet.lounais-suomi@poliisi.fi The Port of Kapellskär – part of Ports of Stockholm – has announced that in 2023 it will provide onshore power connection on two new Finnlines vessels The 235-metre long ships operating on the Kapellskär-Långnäs-Naantali route will connect to onshore power at the quay and use automooring resulting in reduced emissions at the port The Port of Kapellskär confirmed that the onshore power station has been put into place whilst power lines and cranes still need installation before the facility can undergo tests in modern technology that reduces emissions is extremely rewarding,” said Bino Drummond “It is very positive that our long-term loyal customer has chosen to invest in sustainable development at the port” At large, several services at the Ports of Stockholm already connect to onshore power and utilise smart and sustainable technologies The onshore power connections are part of a larger project being carried out together with the shipping company Finnlines and Port of Naantali Following other European ports the Port of Kapellskär has decided to invest in onshore power to reduce air pollutant emissions and lower noise levels from vessels The port authority specified that the facility at Port of Kapellskär is within the framework of the EU project “Upgrade of the Baltic Sea Bridge Kapellskär-Långnäs-Naantali” and 30 per cent of the funding comes from the EU Partial funding is also provided by the Swedish government’s Climate Leap initiative Last week, Swedish shipowners joined the call to express support for the EU Commission’s legislative package for decarbonising the shipping sector and to request dedicated funds for net-zero vessels. Arkas Line has added a second company-owned vessel to the USA Express Service (USX), doubling HD Hyundai and A.P. Moller—Maersk (Maersk) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) Chittagong, the first privately-owned container terminal in Bangladesh, has begun DP World is set to implement OneStop Modal and the OneStop Vehicle Booking System (VBS) DP World, in partnership with Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI), has announced the completion of major The US House of Representatives has voted to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency‘s (EPA) 2023 Open image viewerThere were three crew members on board.Yle News1.9.2023 14:39A cargo ship ran aground in the Åland archipelago off the southwest coast of Finland early on Friday morning 50-metres-long vessel was delivering a cargo of wood from an Åland island to the port town of Naantali on the Finnish mainland This was later corrected to reflect that the ship was carrying grain There were three crew members on board when the ship ran aground and there are believed to have been no injuries "The vessel was built in 1923 in Norway It is the last old sand dredger of this size in Finland The ship has been in the shipyard for a couple of years but it has been refurbished and is carrying grain to the mainland and timber to Åland," Sea Lake Shipping co-owner and managing director Dennis Saari explained The shipowner is making plans to rescue the vessel and recover its cargo Open image viewerThe Norwegian-built vessel is 100 years old this year Image: Sea-Lake Shipping Oy LtdThe authority is also preparing to respond to a possible oil spill as there are six cubic metres of fuel on board "The cause of the accident is not yet known the rescue work is ongoing," Niklas Guseff The ship's captain toldOpens an external website Ålands Radio that he had fallen asleep at the wheel Would you like a roundup of the week's top stories in your inbox every Thursday? Then sign up to receive our weekly email. Anglesea SLSC vice president-lifesaving Rob Tennant, president David Marsh, boat captain Scott Tannahill, and boat recipient Naantali Marshall with juniors in the background. Photos: SUPPLIED A LEGEND of the Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club (SLSC) has been immortalised as part of the club’s most recent boat christening. Anglesea SLSC athlete and one of the most decorated female surf lifesavers in Life Saving Victoria (LSV) history Naantali Marshall has joined the ranks of some of the club’s biggest names, with a surf boat now named in her honour. Marshall, a national lifesaving champion, Ironwoman and one of the Lorne SLSC’s Pier to Pub Superfish (six-time winner), said it was an emotional day on August 6 when she was recognised for her hard work and commitment to the Anglesea SLSC in front of her fellow lifesavers. “I didn’t actually know about the boat until the day before when my husband told me during a training session down at Torquay, which came as a big surprise,” Ms Marshall said. “It’s extremely humbling and I’m forever grateful to the club for setting this all up. “There are so many other names that would have been worthy enough to feature on this boat, and I’m extremely proud to be a part of a club with so much history and such a great culture.” The christening function was well-attended by over 80 lifesavers featuring past and present members following a junior training session. Ms Marshall then sprayed a bottle of champagne over the boat to make the announcement official. The boat has not been taken out for its maiden voyage yet, but Ms Marshall, known entirely for her ability as a water athlete, confirmed she did not plan to join the boat team any time soon. Boat captain Scott Tannahill said there was no one more deserving of the honour than Naantali. “It’s just another accolade to add to Naantali’s resume over the years, which is second to none,” Mr Tannahill said. “I first toured with Naantali in 1996 to America, so I’ve known her for some time now, she’s just a great role model for the juniors coming up through the club. “Naantali has been in many state teams, represented the club in pretty much every discipline, ironically except in the boats, she was the perfect candidate for an occasion like this.” The purchase of the new boat was made possible by sponsors M.C. Herd, Hamlan and Vitratech. Breaking news, community, lifestyle, real estate, and sport. but ministers stressed that money was not a problem "Together we need to see opportunities and a vision for the future that can create hope in the future for people And it’s important that we do this work together," Marin said in comments to the media Friday evening The PM said that her understanding was that the planned closure of the Naanatli refinery was in line with Neste’s long-term strategy to transition toward more environmentally-friendly energy solutions the government could draw down on hundreds of millions of euros potentially available to Finland from the EU’s Just Transition Fund to help Naantali pivot toward a greener economy Marin visited the city in southwest Finland with Economic Affairs Minister Mika Lintilä and Labour Minister The field trip followed an announcement on Monday by state-owned oil company Neste that it planned to begin negotiations at slashing jobs and possibly shuttering oil refining operations in the town On Friday the ministers held discussions with managers at the Naantali refinery and also met with employees and city representatives Labour Minister Tuula Haatainen said that it is important for the people facing the threat of job losses to have a sense of confidence that everything possible will be done to ensure they find new work She noted that a broad united front had already begun the work of managing the shock and added that creating new employment opportunities would not depend on money "Everything that is being planned and done for the people who are in danger of losing their jobs will receive full support from the state The employment administration has more than 10 million euros in unallocated funding so there are resources and it will not depend on money," Haatainen told reporters Meanwhile Lintilä said that he believed that the extremely difficult situation would give birth to a new beginning He added that his ministry plans to appoint a rapporteur with solid industrial networks who would be able to identify new opportunities for the region "Preferably someone with their heart and soul in Naantali and southwest Finland and who would bring something concrete to the situation." He said that the rapporteur will be appointed "as soon as possible." Lintilä told Yle’s breakfast talk show Ylen aamu that if Neste proceeds with plans to close the refinery government will set up a structural working group Meanwhile on Monday Marin had already been in touch with Naantali mayor Jouni Mutanen At the time she stressed that the government would shoulder responsibility for a possible refinery closure and that it would support workers as well as the region in a difficult situation Mutanen called on government to implement change management measures to support workers and to cushion the blow of potential financial losses to the city and region The closure of the refinery is expected to considerably erode the city’s corporate and municipal tax revenues However city leaders say that it is too early to assess its full financial impact The city itself has joined forces with regional bodies to create a change management group The group includes representatives from the city transport and the environment (Ely-keskus) training providers and other key organisations It aims to identify ways to provide new training and employment opportunities for displaced workers Edit: Updated on 19 September at 10:13 to clarify that Finland has access to the EU's Just Transition Fund These luxury sauna and spa experiences are highly recommended the nation with over three million saunas for 5.5 million people is the ultimate destination to experience the smoke or steam of the beloved activity From first timers and those who love a good rejuvenation to travellers looking to unwind in solitude or catch up with family and friends the heat of the sauna provides the perfect holistic experience sauna is not just a luxury enjoyed by a select few; it is deeply ingrained in the culture as an activity for everyone Finland has seamlessly integrated the concept of luxury into this beloved tradition the country now boasts incredible luxury spas and resorts elevating the sauna experience to new heights Beautiful views and eco-friendly treatments create a special atmosphere in Finland’s best spas Discover the definitive guide to the finest saunas and spas in Finland for 2024 providing travellers with unparalleled experiences where Finnish nature meets spa luxury is The Forest Spa at The Hilltop Forest Resort where guests are invited to elevate their forest retreat with an exclusive spa experience Guests will immerse themselves in Nordic luxury surrounded by the calming ambiance of the forest How: Book a private 90-minute spa reservation during a stay at Hilltop Forest. When guests add a spa reservation, linen bathrobes will be provided in the hideaway lodges upon arrival. Pre-ordered drinks will be chilled. Starting from €159 for two guests, €30/additional guest. Private spa slots at Forest Spa are available for non-guests. For information and booking, visit: hilltopforest.fi/en/spa Sauna Gondola redefines the traditional Finnish sauna experience travellers can relish the power of dry heat Seamlessly integrated into Ylläs Ski Resort this exclusive experience provides added luxury following a long day on the slopes The gondola operates with the resort’s facilities ensuring guests’ journey from the slopes is effortless and indulgent The gondola accommodates four individuals at a time for a group of up to 12 guaranteeing intimate and immersive relaxation access is given to a dedicated sauna with a lounge How: Sauna Gondola and its accompanying facilities are available from €1,500 for up to 12 people. The top-of-the-fell sauna can be booked separately starting from €250. Further information is at ski.Ylläs.fi/en/gondola/sauna-gondola Tampere has been hailed as the sauna capital of the world meaning there is no better destination to experience a Finnish sauna Combining a traditional sauna with an urban aesthetic Saunaravintola Kuuma is a sleek lakeside building with two saunas a buzzing restaurant serving seasonal Nordic cuisine and a fabulous tasting menu with select wines is the large outdoor pool and two-story terrace overlooking Lake Pyhäjärvi How: Sauna prices at Saunaravintola Kuuma start from €12. Swimsuits and towels are available to rent for €3. To make a reservation, visit saunaravintolakuuma.fi/en the Snow Sauna is made entirely of snow and ice Even the most experienced sauna-goers are mesmerised by the concept snowy walls and the thick steam of the stove keeping temperatures high Guests can experience the snowy sauna from December to March the hotel also offers traditional log-built saunas How: Snow Sauna prices start from €60 for a 90-minute slot and include the sauna and outdoor Jacuzzi. To make a reservation, visit arcticsnowhotel.fi/snow-sauna Find inner peace and tranquillity at the Kuru Resort’s Day Spa Ultra-luxury meets off-the-grid retreat at Sisley Day Spa in Saimaa as part of the Kuru Resort – the first of its kind in the country Massage treatments drawn from rituals all over the world are combined with the healing power of aromatherapy A private spa and sauna are provided in each room for guests staying at the resort Kuru Resort hosted the ‘Masterclass of Happiness’ in 2023 now inviting travellers to indulge in a four-night package in 2024 How: Prices for activities at the spa start from €33.90 for an entry to the Lake Spa. To make a reservation and see other offerings as Sisley Day Spa, visit kururesort.com/en/sisley-day-spa-menu This spa beckons guests to indulge in optimum luxury and rejuvenation relax in picturesque pools and experience the famous Cleopatra milk and honey bath and a reviving rose bath guests have the privilege of basking in archipelago scenery complemented by the warmth of the outdoor Roman bath beneath the turquoise star dome ensures guests can continue indulging for their entire day with culinary delights and beverages on offer offering an elevated stay that seamlessly integrates with the spa experience Hotel guests enjoy complimentary access to the spa throughout their entire stay How: Prices for the spa start from €24 per day, whilst rooms with complimentary spa access start from €178 per night. To make a reservation and find more information, visit naantalispa.fi/en the new luxury spa hotel in Helsinki stands as a cultural milestone for the nation A proud addition to Preferred Hotels and Resorts’ esteemed Legend Collection the Hotel Maria exemplifies Finland’s deep connection to wellness through its centrepiece the Maria Spa – an exquisite world-class wellness centre and a set of Jacuzzi and plunge pools designed for ultimate relaxation Guests seeking added opulence can retreat to one of the 38 spa suite rooms at Hotel Maria crafted to guide residents into pure bliss including complimentary access to The Maria Spa How: Room rates start at €452 (EUR)/$496 (USD) including taxes, full hotel access and breakfast for two. For more information on reservations and The Maria Spa, please visit hotelmaria.fi Guests should head to North Lapland for an icy luxury spa experience and to relax by the stunning Lake Jerisjӓrvi Arctic Sauna World offers different saunas placed along the lake to warm up after a day of exploring the Arctic landscape well known for its amazing health benefits such as increased immunity metabolism boosts and improved mental clarity – but not for the faint-hearted During the aurora season guests can even spot the Northern Lights right from the saunas How: Tickets for the sauna start from €30, including a towel and refreshments. Season and family tickets are also available for purchase. Visit harriniva.fi/en/arctic-sauna-world to find out more providing a sanctuary from the city is Löyly one of Finland’s most renowned public saunas The striking wooden building was created by Avanto Architects and is a prime example of Finnish design Löyly features three wood-heated saunas and a welcoming restaurant serving classic recipes the brave at heart can dip into the Baltic Sea year round How: A two-hour sauna at Löyly is €23 per person and includes towel, peflet, shampoo and shower soap. To make a sauna reservation, visit loylyhelsinki.fi On the grounds of the Serlachius Museum Gösta is the innovative Serlachius Art Sauna The unique sauna is an extension of the main building and acts as a continuation of the museum’s artistic journey The interior highlights the commitment to design and architecture – a variety of large scale works can be found across the sauna from the lobby to the shower rooms in addition to textile works from Rautiainen How: A two hour time slot at Serlachius Art Sauna is €10. To make a reservation at the public sauna, visit serlachius.fi/en/art-sauna For more information on how to enjoy the sauna experience in Finland, visit visitfinland.com/en Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE! Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club’s Naantali Marshall has returned from the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships with four gold medals. Marshall was unstoppable in the water at the ‘Aussies’, winning gold in four from four 45-49 years women’s water events – the ironwoman, board, surf and ski races. Lorne’s Tristan Read claimed two gold medals, winning the 45-49 years men’s surf race and 2km ocean swim, while Daryl Hauenstein from Jan Juc won gold in the 65-69 years men’s 1km run. Victoria’s oldest representative at the championships, 75-year-old Malcolm Freake from Fairhaven SLSC, continued his decades-long legacy at the Aussies, winning gold in the 1km beach run and silver in both the beach sprint and flags events. Also finding podium success was Samuel Hume of Anglesea winning silver in the 45-49 years men’s 2km run, Melissa Fitzgerald and Amenah McDonald from Ocean Grove SLSC who won silver in the 45-49 years women’s double ski and Benjamin Lund of Jan Juc claimed bronze in the 35-39 years men’s 2km swim. Other Geelong-Surf Coast masters who made Australia’s top 10 in their respective events were: Michael Hegarty, Jan Juc SLSC – 40-44 years ironman men’s board race and ski race Torquay SLSC – 150 years men’s Taplin relay and board relay (Grant Matthews, David Strahan, Simon Strahan) Lorne SLSC ‘Lorne Again’ – 160 years women’s surf boat crew (Georgina Box, Tamara Brawn, Shea Grant, Geoffrey Matthews, Paula Matthews) Ivor Morgan, Anglesea SLSC – 45-49 years men’s board race, ski race and ironman Ingilby Dickson, Anglesea SLSC – 65-69 years men’s surf race Benjamin Lund, Jan Juc SLSC – 35-39 years ironman, board race and surf race Samuel Hume, Anglesea SLSC – 45-49 years men’s surf race Amenah McDonald, Ocean Grove SLSC – 45-49 years women’s board race Daryl Hauenstein, Jan Juc SLSC – 65-69 years men’s beach flags Nicole Matthews, Torquay SLSC – 50-54 years women’s board race © 2025 Star News Group Pty Ltd. All rights reserved and plenty more had holidays cancelled on Monday Open image viewerPäivi (left) and Peter Lindström missed out on a holiday in Cyprus when Thomas Cook went bankrupt Image: YleYle News23.9.2019 8:52•Updated 23.9.2019 11:46Travel agent Thomas Cook’s bankruptcy caused misery for travellers in Finland on Monday as travellers arrived at Helsinki Airport checked in for the flights and discovered that their holidays were cancelled "All of a sudden it was announced that the flight was cancelled," said Peter Lindström from Naantali who only discovered he wasn’t getting a break at the departure gate Around 2,900 people are currently on holidays outside Finland organised by Thomas Cook’s Finnish subsidiary Tjäreborg On Sunday the company said that those already on holiday would be repatriated and if the firm went bankrupt their customers would be contacted immediately Information did not seem to have reached the Lindströms ahead of their trip to Cypriot sunspot Larnaca "We got one leaflet which explained our rights but we haven’t read it yet," said Lindström "There were no Tjäreborg representatives around Of course we’re disappointed and we’ll try to find some resolution to this The temperature in Naantali on Monday morning was zero degrees Celsius In total some 600,000 tourists worldwide were left stranded when the British travel agent went bust The British government has asked the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority to activate repatriation plans for 150,000 British citizens on Thomas Cook holidays The Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was following the situation and that Finns left stranded and unable to get help from their tour guides should contact their nearest Finnish diplomatic mission or if there is no Finnish embassy or consulate nearby then a Nordic or EU post DolphinsFinnish travel firms consider ban on parks with captive orcaPublished 20182018Sources: Yle Informationen på denna sida är avsedd för journalister press och media.Klicka ja för att komma till nyhetsrummet Klickar du nej kommer du tillbaka till mynewsdesk.com Finnlines introduces a larger vessel to operate between Finland and Sweden and upgrades services to cargo carriers and private passengers The Star class ro-pax vessels Finnswan and Europalink will jointly start on the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route departing today in the evening from both Naantali and Kapellskär The ro-pax vessels Finnswan and Europalink will start on the Naantali–Långnäs–Kapellskär route under the Finnish flag on Thursday 27 January The successful Finnlines’ route is one of the vital maritime links for Finland’s security of supply The cargo capacity will increase by 1,200 lane meters and passenger capacity by over 100 up to 554 In addition to a significant increase in capacity the refurbishment of public areas will further increase travel comfort and onboard services as well as a stronger commitment to the freight industry to meet their needs at any time of the year Europalink have joined the sister vessel Finnswan which has been operating on the route since 2018 The entry of Europalink means that both morning and evening departures offer the same capacity and a uniform service concept and facilities for all customers Finnfellow will move from Naantali to the Malmö–Travemünde route Finnlines thanks Finnfellow and its crew for their excellent work during the past years Finnlines specialises in freight transport and the extensive line network provides Finland’s export industry with a regular and reliable way into the European market while ensuring imports of goods that are important for security of supply Finnlines consolidates its position as the main maritime service provider between Finland and Sweden Year of build 2007Length 218.8Breadth 30.5Gross tonnage 45,923Total lane length 4,215 mPassengers 554 Picture 1-2: M/S Europalink has joined her sister vessel M/S Finnswan in traffic between Finland and Sweden Picture 3-4: M/S Finnswan in traffic between Finland and Sweden Picture 5: M/S Finnfellow will move from Naantali to the Malmö–Travemünde route Tom PippingsköldVice President and Deputy CEO, CFOphone +358 40 519 5041tom.pippingskold@finnlines.com Communications Department, communications@finnlines.com Finnlines is a leading shipping operator of ro-ro and passenger services in the Baltic Sea The Company is a part of the Grimaldi Group one of the world’s largest operators of ro-ro vessels and the largest operator of the Motorways of the Sea in Europe for both passengers and freight This affiliation enables Finnlines to offer liner services to and from any destination in the Mediterranean West Africa as well as the Atlantic coast of both North and South America Vi erbjuder ett flertal avgångar till Tyskland eftersom vi säkerställer en smidig leverans av varor mellan länderna Vi är stolta över att presentera Finnsirius och Finncanopus de ljusaste stjärnorna på vår rutt Sverige-Finland Vi erbjuder ett flertal avgångar till Fastlandsfinland När du väljer att skapa ett konto och följa ett nyhetsrum kommer dina personuppgifter behandlas av oss och av ägaren av nyhetsrummet för att du ska kunna motta nyheter och uppdateringar enligt dina bevakningsinställningar För att läsa mer om detta, var vänlig läs vår Integritetspolicy som berör vår behandling av dina personuppgifter, och Integritetspolicy för Contacts som berör behandlingen av dina personuppgifter från ägaren av nyhetsrummet du följer Vänligen notera att våra Användarvillkor gäller alla våra tjänster. Du kan dra tillbaka ditt samtycke när som helst genom att avregistrera dig eller genom att ta bort ditt konto. and waxed lyrical about the beauty of Finnish nature Open image viewerTasavallan presidentti Sauli Niinistö Image: Yle23.7.2015 15:13•Updated 24.7.2015 13:57Listeners to a Finnish radio phone-in show on Wednesday may have thought they heard a familiar voice when one caller rang to ask for advice about his parsnips ”Now we have Sauli on the line – hi there!” So began what seemed like a normal call to Yle Radio Suomi’s weekly nature discussion show where experts offer up tips and thoughts on everything from the beauty of Finland’s countryside to the best way to cultivate vegetables in the garden But as the conversation with Sauli from Naantali went on it dawned on the show’s presenters that the voice on the end of the line was in fact that of their President Niinistö The keen nature lover had two questions for the experts– one regarding parsnips the other about the wild flower sneezewort The presenters answered them with typical Finnish cool-headedness and only occasionally let out giggles of surprise The incident echoes an episode of US presidential drama The West Wing, in which President Bartlett assumes a false nameOpens an external website to ring into the Butterball Hotline, for advice on how to stuff his Thanksgiving turkey. Wednesday’s caller then went on to wax lyrical about his favourite plant, the white-flowered lesser butterfly orchid, which grows in the wild, and which he said he’d spotted this summer. ”In the evening, when you go out for a walk, you don’t even need to use your eyes, you can just smell them in the summer air,” Sauli continued. “They’re incredibly beautiful.” As the three-minute conversation went on, the President of the Republic continued to share his thoughts about the joys of the outdoors. ”It’s amazing sometimes when you see, say, a loosestrife growing next to some meadowsweet, to think that they’re both growing from the same soil, drinking the same water. So how can they end up so different?” ”Nature is indeed wonderful,” he reflected, as the conversation came to a close. “Indeed it is,” the presenter is heard to say, struggling to suppress another giggle. This is not the first time that Radio Suomi’s phone-ins have attracted famous callers. Earlier this month Finnish ice-hockey legend Teemu Selänne phoned the station’s live karaoke-style show “The Phone Lines are Singing”.