| The Port of Helsinki is Finland's capital and the country's most important seaport and industrial center. It is located in the far south on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. Some call it the �hite city of the north?due to its many buildings made of the local light-colored granite. Cruising and Travel Helsinki was founded by King Gustav I of Sweden to compete with nearby Tallinn in Estonia on the European continent. While the original settlement was on the mouth of the Vantaa River about three miles north of its current location, it was moved in 1640 nearer the Gulf of Finland in 1640 for better access to the sea. The Black Plague decimated the Port of Helsinki in 1710, and it was soon burned to the ground. Then Russian attacks thwarted its redevelopment. In 1748, a fortress was built on small islands outside the harbor, offering some protection to the struggling Port of Helsinki. But the Russians burned the city again in 1808 and, in 1809, Finland was ceded to Russia's Tsar Alexander I who made it the capital of Finland. German architect Carl Ludwig Engel led the reconstruction of the city center, creating impressive buildings around the Senate Square. As capital of Finland, the Port of Helsinki began to grow quickly. In 1917, Finland rebelled against Russia. After brief but terrible violence, Finland's first president was elected by the Helsinki Parliament in 1919. After that, the Port of Helsinki became an important center for industry, trade, and culture, its development interrupted only by World War II. Rapid urbanization in the 1970s brought tremendous growth to the Port of Helsinki. In the 1990s, it was one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the European Union. Still, the Port of Helsinki is the second most sparsely populated capital in the EU. Port Commerce Today's Port of Helsinki has a strong economy based on its harbors and good connections inland through rail and road. The Port of Helsinki receives over half of Finland's imports but a small portion of its exports. The city's industrial base produces food, printing, textiles and clothing, processing of metal and chemical goods, and manufacture of electrical equipment. Further, its Arabia factory produces internationally popular porcelain wares. The Port of Helsinki is responsible for maintaining the port. Container traffic moves through the West Harbor, and roll-on/roll-off cargo and vehicle imports move through the North Harbor. The new Vuosaari Harbor Center will soon be completed for cargo traffic, while passenger traffic will remain in the South and West Harbors. In 2007, over 13 million tons of cargo passed through the Port of Helsinki, most of it foreign cargo. This included almost 12 million tons of unitized cargo (5.7 million tons of imports and 6.2 million tons of exports) and 431 thousand TEUs of containerized cargo. Cruising and Travel The Port of Helsinki is the busiest port in Finland for passenger traffic. Each summer, cruise vessels make about 250 calls there, bringing almost 300 thousand visitors to the city. The Port of Helsinki is a modern and cosmopolitan city. Walking tours reveal cutting-edge architecture and design. With a Helsinki Card, visitors have unlimited access to ferry, bus, and metro. While you�e visiting the Port of Helsinki, don� miss the historic village of Seurasaari, Suomenlinna Castle, and the Church in the Rock. You can find a schedule of cruise ships visiting the Port of Helsinki on its website. |
