For the next four years, with two one-year prolongation options, the Yara Siilinjärvi plant will ship out its iron oxide output through the Port of Kokkola.

In the past couple of years, Yara's iron oxide traffic through the Finnish seaport amounted to 250-300 thousand tonnes per year, a volume that might very well double in the future.

It is planned to dispatch two train sets per day between Siilinjärvi and the port.

"Iron oxide is a by-product [...] generated when pyrite brought from the Pyhäsalmi mine is burned in sulfuric acid production. Iron oxide is mainly transported from the Port of Kokkola as a raw material for the steel industry. The circular economy, such as the utilization of side streams, is one of Yara's strategic focus areas," Yara Finland shared.

Jyrki Furu, Logistics Manager for the Siilinjärvi plant, said, "Yara Finland and the Port of Kokkola have cooperated for a long time and we have been satisfied with it. The Port of Kokkola has the ability to react to the customer's changing needs, and the port can handle a wide range of our company's products, such as fertilizers and various acids, in addition to iron oxide. Moreover, thanks to the deep fairway, large [Panamax and Capesize] ships can call Kokkola."

He furthered, "We get really efficient supply chains by utilizing the railway network. For example, the wagon rotation time can be completed in a day, while in many other cases, wagon rotation time takes two days. The Iisalmi-Kokkola section is now completely electrified, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of our products. The port operator Rauanheimo and Valtavirta in Siilinjärvi and VR Transpoint are also an integral part of this fine-tuned supply chain."

Torbjörn Witting, the Port of Kokkola's CEO, also commented, "I am very pleased with the decision of Yara, one of the port's biggest customers, which brings additional income and employment to the port. We have ready a customized port infrastructure with efficient tracks and production machinery to receive all trains arriving from Siilinjärvi. Iron oxide is loaded in the Deep Port, which has enough capacity for Yara's needs."

He added, "We have customized port infrastructure ready to be utilized; efficient tracks and production machinery to receive all trains arriving from Siilinjärvi. The port's special strengths also include extensive storage facilities, deep quays and crane capacity. It can be expected that, thanks to the deep fairway, iron oxide will also be picked up by the largest ships operating in Finland."

Photo (upscaled): Port of Kokkola