Our long-term partner and friend Pekka Kauppila is no longer with us. He passed away of a sudden illness in Turku on 20th of September 2020, at the age of 72. Pekka founded Pernotrans Ltd at the end of 1980s to continue the transport department of Wärtsilä Turku shipyard. In 2001, he sold the company to Meriaura Group, to follow his dream of sailing around the world. Pernotrans was a diverse land logistics company that operated in a close subcontracting relationship and cooperation with the Turku shipyard, and handled, for example, the loading of diesel engines and complete power plant deliveries at the Wärtsilä factory by the Aura river in Turku. Pernotrans was an integral part of the Meriaura Group for almost 15 years, and opened up many opportunities for the group’s growth and development. Good relations to Turku shipyard later made building of the deck cargo carrier M/S Aura possible. Pernotrans’s operations expanded Meriaura Group’s expertise and laid the foundation for Meriaura’s project and special cargo transportation operations.
Picture: Riitta Kauppila / S/Y Sarema
Pekka and his wife Riitta sailed various routes around the globe with their sailboat ’Sarema’, for almost 20 years. They enjoyed the northern waters, especially Alaska, where they sailed around for several years. They were the first Finnish recreational vessel to sail e.g. both the Northwest and Northeast Passages, and they visited Antarctica before bringing the boat back to Finland. A few years ago, Pekka and Riitta moved from their home in Portugal to a small farm in Italy, where they were to settle to grow olives, after they officially gave up sailing about a year ago. They were just about to return to Italy to spend the winter, when Pekka’s journey ended unexpectedly. S/Y Sarema is currently in Naantali, Finland and is looking for a new owner who would take the sailboat to sea again.
Besides being a partner and a mentor, Pekka also became a good friend of Jussi Mälkiä’s, with whom he maintained close relations until the end.
Thank you Pekka – Farewell!
