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From the left: Provost Ilkka Niemelä, Dean Gary Marquis, and President Tuula Teeri from Aalto University, Juha Heikinheimo, Chairman of the Board, Esko Mustamäki, Chairman of the Research Committee and Merja Salmi-Lindgren, Secretary General from the Finnish Marine Industries. Photo: Mikko Raskinen / Aalto University

The Finnish Marine Industries and Aalto University continue their close collaboration to maintain and develop Finland’s top-level expertise in marine technology. The parties have signed a partnership agreement on marine technology.

The agreement covers development and research in marine technology, and its principal areas are promotion of awareness of marine technology, national and international collaboration, development of university education, promotion of new professorships, development of the Otaniemi campus as well as development of research and education activity and collaboration in the field.

The societal effectiveness of Aalto University’s expertise in marine technology has been significant at both national and international level. The agreement ensures continued close collaboration between the university and the Finnish Marine Industries and, as a result, with the entire maritime cluster in Finland.

- Those who have graduated with a Master of Science degree in Technology from Aalto University have been employed in key management and expert positions within our international maritime cluster. Through continued long-term collaboration, it is possible for Finnish top-level expertise to remain a pillar of national competitiveness, says Dean Gary Marquis from Aalto University. The jointly developed international research strategy provides a large number of topics for both master's level theses and doctoral dissertations.

- Finland’s marine industry had specialised in high-technology products. To remain competitive, the marine industry must constantly develop its products and it must be able to create new innovations. It is only possible through long-term collaboration with research institutes and universities. This is where Aalto University is in a special position thanks to its education and research activities in marine technology. The key to technological solutions is this close research collaboration, in which theory and practical solutions and conditions meet, and which makes Finnish products and expertise interesting internationally, Esko Mustamäki, Chair of the Finnish Marine Industries’ Research Committee, describes the importance of research collaboration.

The agreement covers the strategic research agenda for Finnish marine technology, which includes the most important research areas in marine technology. Smart Maritime Technology Solutions 2014–2020 is the Finnish marine industry’s vision of the future, aimed at influencing the direction of research both in Finland and in the European Union. The agenda in currently being updated to cover the development needs until 2025. The business areas it comprises are cruise ships as well as offshore and Arctic technology. The principal themes are expertise, environment and energy, digitalisation and new business opportunities.

More information:

Aalto University

Gary Marquis, Dean
+358 40 720 1093
gary.marquis@aalto.fi

Finnish Marine Industries

Esko Mustamäki
Chair of the Research Committee
Managing Director, Arctech Helsinki Shipyard
+358 10 622 2600
esko.mustamaki@arctech.fi

Merja Salmi-Lindgren
Secretary General
+358 9 192 3385
merja.salmi-lindgren@teknologiateollisuus.fi

Finnish Marine Industries coordinates collaboration in the industry and economic policies between the industry’s companies. The member companies of the association include marine technology equipment manufacturers, turnkey suppliers, design offices, programme and system suppliers as well as ship building, ship repair and offshore shipyards; a total of almost 80 members. Finnish Marine Industries is a branch association of the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries and a member of SEA Europe. The entire turnover of Finland’s marine industry is over €6 billion.