Vaasa (Finland)

Vaasa is a major port city in Finland's Ostrobothnia region, with population around 70,000. The city is bilingual (~70% speaking Finnish, ~25% Swedish), while the surrounding municipalities are with Swedish-speaking majority. Port Vassa (locode FIVAA) has a regularly scheduled daily ferry service (provided by Wasaline) linking to Umea Sweden (Holmsund Ferry Port), with 11 weekly crossings (travel time 3,5 hours). Ferries and cruise ships dock at Vaasa Ferry Port.

Wasaline's Vaasa-Umea service was inaugurated on January 3, 2013, with the 1981-built ship Wasa Express (IMO 8000226). Since September 2021, the route is served by the newbuild cruiseferry Aurora Botnia (2021).

The settlement was founded in the 14th-century as Korsholm (village around a fortress). The town (as Mustasaari) was officially founded in 1606 AD by Charles IX of Sweden (1550-1611, King of Sweden between 1607-1611). In the 19th-century it was renamed to Wasa/Vasa, and in the early-20th-century to Vaasa. Thanks to its location and deepwater harbor, the town soon developed a shipbuilding industry and prospered in the shipping trade. In August 1852, the town (with mainly wooden buildings) was almost completely destroyed in a fire (only 24 of all 379 buildings survived).

Current-day Vaasa's economy is based on industries and education (Vassa University, Abo Akademi University, Hanken School of Economics, applied sciences). Best-known tourist attractions include Ostrobothnian Museum (culture and natural sciences), Ostrobothnian Museum (culture and arts), Kuntsi Museum (modern art), Vaasa Automobile and Motor Museum (European and US cars from 1910-1970), Soderfjardenin Meteoriihi (impact crater in Ostrobothnia).

In 2018, Wartsila Corporation (Helsinki-headquartered, marine and energy equipment development and manufacturing company) started building the research center Smart Technology Hub on Vaskiluoto Island in Vaasa Harbour. By this project, in 2020 the company invested ~EUR 83 million in testing and production equipment. Wartsila's total investment in the project (~EUR 200 million / ~USD 220 M) was for the construction of office buildings, factories (testing and product development facilities), logistics, infrastructure. Smart Technology Hub Vaasa was opened in 2020 and serves the maritime industry, renewable-energy industry, oil and gas industries. With ~3000 personnel, Wartsila became Vaasa's largest private-sector employer.