Changes in the operational management of pilotage operations as of January 1, 2026

Starting January 1, 2026, Finnpilot will implement an organizational restructuring. Sami Saarinen, currently Gulf of Finland Area Manager, will assume the role of Operations Manager, taking responsibility for managing pilotage and transport operations nationwide. Local decision-making and customer engagement will be delegated to Chief Pilots at the stations. At the same time, roles within Finnpilot’s middle management will be reorganized to ensure that the Operations Manager and Chief Pilots receive the support they need.

At the turn of the year, two long and distinguished careers at Finnpilot will come to an end as Ari Saari, Area Manager for the Archipelago Sea & Bothnian Sea, and Ilkka Sipilä, Area Manager for the Bay of Bothnia, retire. Both have played a key role in operational leadership and the development of pilotage, leaving a lasting mark on Finnpilot’s operating models and safety culture. We warmly thank Ari and Ilkka for their invaluable contributions and wish them rewarding retirement days!

Chief Pilots and Middle Management to Support the New Operations Manager

Following the retirement of two experienced colleagues, operational leadership will be reorganized. The Area Manager role will be discontinued, and responsibilities will be redistributed between middle management and Chief Pilots. The current Gulf of Finland Area Manager, Sami Saarinen, will become Operations Manager for all of Finland, overseeing pilotage and transport operations nationwide. This change strengthens unified resource management and information flow, ensuring that Finnpilot’s operating models and practices remain consistent across all regions while respecting local specifics. Saarinen will report to Aki Marjasvaara, Finnpilot’s Chief Operating Officer.

Local decision-making and stakeholder contacts will be centralized to Chief Pilots at pilotage stations, who know their region’s conditions and traffic characteristics. Chief Pilots will provide customers and partners with local expertise and practical perspectives in client-specific discussions. Through them, proposals for developing joint operating models or other special arrangements will be handled.

In Finnpilot’s operational middle management, Jutta Heinisuo, currently Head of Pilot Dispatch, will transition to the role of Service Manager and will be responsible for overseeing pilotage operations from a process perspective. Development Manager Ville Rinkineva will move to the position of Compliance Manager, overseeing examination services, qualifications, and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements for pilotage. Pasi Paldanius, currently HSEQ Manager, will become Training and Safety Manager, taking charge of competence development and overall safety.

What Do the Changes Mean for Customers?

The organizational change has been prepared in close cooperation with Finnpilot staff and will take effect at the turn of the year. Please note the following:

• Asiakkaidemme ensisijainen kontaktipiste on aina Finnpilotin luotsinvälitys, joka palvelee tuttuun tapaan ympäri vuorokauden. Katso luotsinvälityksen yhteystiedot Ota yhteyttä -sivulta >>
• Pilot Dispatch Centre will forward your inquiry to station Chief Pilots when needed for operational matters other than pilotage orders.
• Each station’s on-duty Chief Pilot will be reachable via a single phone number and email address. We will share these contact details by area at the turn of the year.
• For general operational questions, you can reach our operational middle management at operations@finnpilot.fi.
• Palveluksessasi ovat myös Finnpilotin hallinnon vastuuhenkilöt, joiden yhteystiedot löytyvät Ota yhteyttä -sivulta >>

Note: Finnpilot’s website will be updated at the turn of the year, and the URL for the Contact Us page may change. You can always find contact details via our homepage: www.finnpilot.fi.

Thank you to our customers and stakeholders for excellent cooperation in both the current and new organization. Together, we will continue to ensure smooth and safe maritime traffic!

For more information, please contact:
Aki Marjasvaara
Chief Operating Officer
Tel. +358 50 371 8212
aki.marjasvaara@finnpilot.fi