12/08/2026

How is an entire factory's production line safely transported from the Far East to Finland?

Finnish CHS Air & Sea Oy is currently coordinating the largest project logistics operation in the company’s history. The project includes 1,400 TEUs, representing more than 700 sea containers, three major breakbulk shipments, several special transports and individual pieces weighing more than 100 tonnes.

How can parts of a factory project of over 1,400 TEU and heavy special transports be delivered from the Far East to Finland safely, in the right order and on schedule?

In this article, we look behind the scenes and explore what highly demanding international project logistics means in practice.

Behind the scenes – the largest project logistics operation in CHS history

The project briefly

• 1,400 TEUs
• more than 700 sea containers
• 3 breakbulk shipments
• individual pieces weighing more than 100 tonnes
• DC, HC, OT and FR containers
• first deliveries in December 2025
• transportation operations are still ongoing
• CHS is responsible for the overall management of logistics and import customs clearance in Finland

When logistics works - the factory project can progress as planned

Before factory production can begin, production lines, equipment and large components must travel thousands of kilometres safely from manufacturers to their destination. At the same time, they must arrive at the construction site in the right order and at the right time.

CHS Air & Sea Oy is responsible for the overall coordination of the logistics operation and import customs clearance in Finland. Transporting an entire factory production line from the Far East to Finland is a long and complex journey – and on a Finnish scale, an exceptionally large logistics operation.

The biggest challenge, however, is not the number of individual shipments but managing the entire operation they form. Every transport, customs clearance, port operation and road transport must support the progress of the factory construction.

A delay in a single delivery can affect the next stage of work – and ultimately the schedule of the entire factory project.

Planning begins long before the first transport

CHS received the first information about the upcoming project in December 2024, approximately one year before the actual transportation operations began. The first deliveries started moving in December 2025, but preparations had been underway for a long time before that.

In advance, transport modes, port capacity, availability of special equipment, partners, customs clearance processes, regulatory requirements and customer readiness were assessed. At the same time, alternative operating models were built for situations where schedules or other project circumstances change.

During the project, factory equipment has been delivered to Finland in DC, HC, OT and FR containers as well as through breakbulk shipments. The transport solution is always selected based on the dimensions, weight and handling requirements of each piece.

A piece weighing more than 100 tonnes naturally requires a completely different transport and handling solution from a standard sea container.

Only a few people experience a project of this size in their working career

Sea Freight Director at CHS Air & Sea Oy, Merja Laiho has seen numerous international shipments during her long career. A project of this scale, however, is rare.

“During my long career, this is only the second project logistics operation of this scale that I have had the opportunity to be involved in. I am especially proud that, together with our skilled CHS team and partners, we have been able to move the project forward safely, systematically and without delivery damage.”

A demanding project requires continuous situational awareness

According to Michael Airenne, who is responsible for project logistics at CHS, the biggest challenge is not an individual shipment but coordinating hundreds of deliveries in a constantly changing environment.

“In a project this large and long-lasting, the plan is constantly being updated. Production schedules, manufacturing, vessel schedules and the progress of the customer’s construction site change during the project, so logistics must also be able to react quickly.”

The scale of the project is also visible in daily operations

At the busiest stage, more than 80 truckloads of factory equipment were transported from the ports of Hamina and Kotka to the factory site within just three days. On individual days, there have been around 20 transports.

At this pace, every party involved needs to know what happens next – and how to respond when the plan changes.

Safety is reflected in the results

Throughout hundreds of deliveries, there have been no personal injuries and none of the shipments delivered to the customer have been damaged.

Project achievements so far

✔ Zero personal injuries
✔ Zero delivery damages
✔ Hundreds of successfully completed heavy transports
✔ Several special transports involving pieces weighing more than 100 tonnes delivered safely

Successful implementation requires precision in every step of the process. The basis for operations is valid legislation, official regulations, transport permits and strict safety requirements.

Project logistics is built on a strong partner network

A project of this scale cannot be implemented by a single company. It is important that all partners participating in the project have sufficient capacity, the right equipment, and the ability to react quickly to changing situations.

Key CHS partners have included the ports of Kotka and Hamina (HaminaKotka Satama Oy) and their terminal operators, including Nurminen Logistics Oyj in Kotka and Steveco Oy in Hamina.

The main transport partner in container transport has been MEK-Trans Oy Abwith additional capacity available from Kuljetus Kiiskit Oy.

Breakbulk transports have been handled by Kuljetus Kiiskit Oy and Nurminen Logistics Oyj. Several other cooperation partners have also been involved in the project.

Customs clearance is an essential part of a smooth supply chain

CHS is responsible for the project's import customs clearance and has integrated customs clearance processes into the daily coordination of transportation.

When shipments arrive from several countries of origin and through different transport modes, documentation, goods information and customs clearance processes must be in order before the goods arrive. Incomplete information or delays can stop the cargo from moving forward precisely when it is needed at the construction site.

CHS’s more than 30 years of experience in international logistics and customs clearance, together with its trained customs specialists, supports a smooth import process even in demanding and long-term projects.

One point of contact makes life easier for the customer

CHS acts as a single point of contact for logistics, where ports, transportation, customs clearance and regulatory matters are handled through a single partner. This reduces the customer's coordination work, speeds up decision-making, and makes it easier to monitor project progress, especially when there are changes to plans.

Work continues towards the final project deliveries

During the fall of 2026, an estimated 200 more sea containers will be delivered to the customer before the factory is completed.

However, the success of a project is not measured only by the number of containers or tons. What is essential is that valuable equipment arrives at the site when it is needed.

The work continues until the very last shipment has been successfully delivered to its destination.