Pentti Kujala, the grand old man of marine technology, gave his farewell lecture in a full hall

Pentti Kujala

Pentti Kujala has an extensive career as a professor of marine technology at the Helsinki University of Technology and the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Aalto University. He has more than 40 years of experience in the study of marine structures and vessels used in open water and ice conditions. His main research areas are risk analyses of marine operations in both open water and ice conditions and the development of innovative structural solutions for different types of vessels. His research has focused on the full scale measurements of ice induced loads, the analysis of ice load statistics, the simulation of ship performance on ice, the development of advanced structural solutions for ships and system-level safety of maritime traffic.

Pentti Kujala has served as leader of the Marine and Arctic Technology Research Group. He has also led the Arctic Maritime Operations and Maritime Excellence Research Unit (CEARCTIC). Prior to Aalto University, Kujala worked, among other things for Lloyd's Register of Shipping in London, VTT and Aker Yards. 

During 2017–2021 he served as the vice dean for impact and innovation activities of the School of Engineering.

In 2020, the European Transport Research Board awarded Kujala the TRAVISIONS Award (TRA) for his work to improve the safety of ships in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic. The projects and work led by Kujala have had a significant impact on the safety of shipping in the icy seas.

He has been involved in a number of research projects funded by the European Commission, the Lloyd's Register Foundation and various countries, among others. The scientific impact of Kujala is described in his approximately 200 publications and 5000 citations. Thanks to Kujala's research work, POLARIS risk management system has been introduced for the planning of voyages to the Arctic.