We’re going to float the company! Shipping firm moves its HQ closer to its workers by putting its office on the water

  • Finnish company Arctia Shipping moved 400 metres from old head office
  • Moved it to sit alongside their fleet in Merikasarmi Quay in Helsinki, Finland
  • Office was constructed in a nearby shipyard before being towed into place

By JILL REILLY

Published: | Updated:

A shipping company has moved its headquarters closer to work - by building a £3.5 million floating office.

Finnish company Arctia Shipping moved 400 metres from their old head office to sit alongside their fleet in Merikasarmi Quay in Helsinki, Finland.

However, the new office has a slightly different look to their giant ships, which includes two huge 343ft ice-breaking vessels.

On the move: A shipping company has moved its headquarters closer to work - by building a new £3.5 million floating office

On the move: A shipping company has moved its headquarters closer to work - by building a new £3.5 million floating office

Change

Change: Finnish company Arctia Shipping moved 400 metres from their old head office to sit alongside their fleet in Merikasarmi Quay in Helsinki, Finland

At just 162ft long, the headquarters is less than half the size of the firm's powerful ships.

Arctia said it needed to have its management team and ground personnel as close as possible to its ships.

The office was constructed in a nearby shipyard before being towed into place by sea.

Connected to the same pier by bridge-like gangplanks, it now allows their seaman and management team to go from office to ship in seconds.

New look

New look: However, the new office has a slightly different look to their giant ships, which includes two huge 343ft ice-breaking vessels

Downsized:

Downsized: At just 162ft long, the headquarters is less than half the size of the firm's powerful ships

Markku Tuhkanen, Arctia's Communications Director, said: 'Our office was located quite far from the vessels so we had to think through several options.

'We thought about renting office space near the icebreakers, new office on the ground and an old ship converted into office space.

'Then somebody suggested that if we can build world class icebreakers why can't we build a simple floating office.

'In the end it was economically more efficient than renting office space nearby.'

Ease: The company said it needed to have its management team and ground personnel as close as possible to its ships

Ease: The company said it needed to have its management team and ground personnel as close as possible to its ships

All in day's work: The floating offices windows provide a view of the sea

All in day's work: The floating offices windows provide a view of the sea

Floating office: The office was constructed in a nearby shipyard before being towed into place by sea

Floating office: The office was constructed in a nearby shipyard before being towed into place by sea

Efficient:

Efficient: Connected to the same pier by bridge-like gangplanks, it now allows their seaman and management team to go from office to ship in seconds

During the cold winter months, the company's main priority is to make sure maritime traffic to and from Finnish ports run without delays.

It means they are responsible for breaking up ice for chartered ships to safely navigate through while also responding to oil spills.

However, during the summer, their multipurpose ships operate mainly in Arctic waters to ensure safe operations in offshore oil and gas fields.

Mr Tuhkanen said: 'Katajanokka is in the heart of Helsinki so it's a very challenging place to get permission to build anything new.

'So we invited the residents and neighbours to hear about the plan before we said anything in public.

'Residents and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs were very supportive and they are happy with the outcome now the office is ready.'


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