EV charging now available at Satamaparkkitalo parking facility during sea voyage with 18 charging points from Helen
Charging of electric vehicles is now possible also during a boat trip. Eighteen new electric vehicle charging points have been installed in the Satamaparkkitalo parking facility at the West Harbour in Helsinki. The new charging points are part of the 730 parking spaces of the multi-storey car park, mostly serving the sea passengers of West Harbour, but also local businesses and residents, as well as motorists visiting the area. The charging points have been supplied by the energy company Helen that won the public tendering process.
In early 2021, a new parking facility, Satamaparkkitalo, which was designed according to the service design approach, was completed in the West Harbour in Helsinki. Satamaparkkitalo is also a major digital and service-experience leap for the Port of Helsinki.
- Satamaparkkitalo has received a lot of positive feedback on its ease of use, and the new charging points for electric and hybrid vehicles were a natural continuation of a modern parking experience. If the demand for charging points grows, it is possible to increase their numbers further, says Marika Pauli, head of the passenger services and property development team of the Port of Helsinki.
Some of the electric vehicle charging points are drive-in places where anyone can charge their vehicle with renewable electricity.
- We are investing in the building of a nationwide network along major highways, in growth centres and in transport hubs. It is great that we can enable the provision of charging services for ship passengers in partnership with the Port of Helsinki, says Sari Mannonen, Helen’s director responsible for the solutions business.
The Port of Helsinki has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 in the same manner as its owner, the City of Helsinki. To this end, the Port of Helsinki has a clear action plan, which includes, e.g. minimisation of energy consumption in the port and procurement of the required energy from carbon-free sources.
- It is important that the responsibility of the tourism sector is developed in Finland in the long term and in partnership between various parties. The Port of Helsinki is committed to promoting sustainable tourism, and we are among the first companies to be awarded with the Sustainable Travel Finland label, Pauli specifies.
-E-mobility is a significant means to curb transport-related emissions, and we want to contribute to this trend. We aim to expand Helen’s public charging network throughout the country from the current number of more than 250 charging points to over 1,000 points by 2025, Mannonen explains.
The Port of Helsinki purchases the charging services and the maintenance and upkeep of the charging points from Helen. The Port of Helsinki is responsible for the use and the pricing of the use of the charging points.
In addition to basic parking, there are also premium parking spaces in Satamaparkkitalo. Wider than normal spaces, the premium spaces are located on the lowest floor of Satamaparkkitalo parking facility, only a few minutes away from the departure gates of the ship terminals. Pre-booked premium parking also includes the option of charging an electric vehicle free of charge with renewable energy. Parking with pre-booking is 10–15 per cent cheaper than driving directly to the parking facility.