About

Professor Ulla Tapaninen

Ulla Tapaninen is Full Professor (maritime transport) at Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia, heading the Maritime Transport Research Group in the Estonian Maritime Academy. She is also Adjunct Professor (maritime economics and logistics) at University of Turku, Finland. Tapaninen has over 30 years’ experience in logistics and maritime transport in academia, public and private sector. She has worked in key positions in two Finnish shipping companies (bulk and RoRo sector) and worked as a senior expert at City of Helsinki in charge of maritime cluster development. Presently, she in board of Port of Helsinki, one of the busiest intenational passenger ports in the world.

She has published dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, and reports as well as other publications in scientific and non-scientific journals. She is a frequent speaker in seminars. She has published a textbook Maritime Transport by Kogan Page presenting the fundamentals of maritime business.

Who?

Ulla Pirita Tapaninen, born in Helsinki, 1969
Doctor of Science (Technology), Helsinki University of Technology, 1997
Adjunct Professor, maritime economics and logistics, University of Turku, 2010

Shipping industry experience

Finnlines, development manager, environmental manager, 1996 – 2006
ESL Shipping, board member, 2012 – 2024
Port of Helsinki, board member, 2025 –

Higher education experience

Tallinn University of Technology, Estonian Maritime Academy, 2021 – present
University of Turku, Centre for Maritime Studies (CMS), Department of Geography and Kotka Maritime Research Centre, 2006 – 2012
International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis, Austria, 1996
Cranfield University, 1994  – 1995
Helsinki University of Technology, 1989 – 1996

Public sector experience

City of Helsinki, City Planning Department and Enterprise Services, 2012 – 2021

Positions of trust

CHNL (Centre for High North Logistics), Nord University, board member, 2017 – present
SeaFocus International, member of the supervisory board, 2020 – 2022
Finnish Logistics Forum (LOGY), chair, 2007 – 2018
ITS-Finland, network of smart traffic, board member, 2019 – 2021
Cable Factory, board member, 2019 – 2021
Museum of Finnish Architecture, board member, 2020

Several assignments such as evaluation of EU/CEF projects, assessment of professors and researchers, member of prize committees (including Hyperloop One Global Challenger and SeaFocus), member of state traffic projects steering group, and preliminary examination of scientific and conference papers as well pre-reviewer and opponent of doctoral dissertations.

Books

Maritime Transport
Merenkulun logistiikka
Logistiikka ja liikennejärjestelmät

Interviews in print

Interviews in Finnish:
Navigator Magazine: Professori Ulla Tapaninen: ”Edessämme on aivan uusi aikakausi merenkulussa”
Yle Uutiset: Laivojen päästöttömät polttoaineet eivät välttämättä nosta suuresti rahtikustannuksia
Suomen huolinta- ja logistiikkaliitto: Toimitus- ja logistiikkaketjut muutoksessa Teemasuomalainen/Helsingin uutiset:
Professori Ulla Tapaninen on kahden kaupungin kansalainen
Tekniikka ja talous:
Professori lopettaisi risteilymatkojen valtiontuet ja kertoo, miltä meriliikenteen polttoaineiden ja Helsinki–Tukholma-risteilyjen tulevaisuus näyttää
Tekniikka ja talous:
Laivat törmäävät uusiin ongelmiin Suomen talvimerenkulussa, vaikka jääpeite kutistuu – Professori räjäyttäisi koko jäänmurron toimintamallin

Interviews in Estonian:

Eestis töötav Soome professor: „Eestlased on väga abivalmid!“
Taltech: SOOMLANNAST MERENDUSPROFESSOR NAUDIB TALTECHIS TUDENGITE ÕPETAMIST, 6.4.2023
Taltech: SAAGE TUTTAVAKS – DR ULLA TAPANINEN
Meremees: Talsinki tunnel suurendaks turu

Radio/Video – interviews and podcasts

In Finnish:

Interviews in YLE. https://haku.yle.fi/?page=1&query=professori%20ulla%20tapaninen
Punaisenmeren tilanne ja vaikutukset, Yle Aamu TV ja YLE Ykkösaamu Radio , kohdassa 28:20, 20.12.2023
Räjäytyskuva, jakso 7: Merten jättiläiset
RadioTalsinki: Pläjäys
Ylen ykkösaamu (kohdassa 37:20): Logistiikkaketjujen mullistus
Punakulma: Logistiikan logiikka

In Estonian:

ERR: Expert: Russia’s shadow fleet could consist of thousands of vessels
ERR: What can international maritime law and NATO do for Baltic Sea security?
Meretund: Meremajandus ja tehnoloogilised uuendused laevanduses
Meretund 2.10.2021

Public lecture in English:

Finnish-Estonian sea connection – lifeline for Finnish economy

Public lecture in Finnish:

Logistiikan hallinta epävarmuuden aikana, kohdassa 1:42.