In offshore wind, every step matters, and missing even one can delay the entire project. Many projects face setbacks, higher costs, and safety risks when planning starts too late, engineering decisions are postponed, or coordination is weak. When ports are not ready, lifting plans are unclear, and logistics are underestimated, clean energy goals can be put on hold.
Dr. Enrika Uusitalo, Business Development Manager for Baltic Offshore Wind at Sarens, plays a key role in ensuring offshore wind projects are executed safely and efficiently. She focuses on early planning, coordinating ports, logistics, and heavy-lift operations, and addressing complex engineering challenges.
Her work ensures that every component, from wind-turbine foundations to substations, is delivered and installed on time and safely. By managing regulatory requirements and environmental standards, she reduces risks while helping communities gain access to reliable, clean energy. Through her leadership, projects move smoothly from planning to execution, turning ambitious energy goals into real, lasting results.
From Military Dreams to a Career in Renewable Energy
Dr. Enrika Uusitalo planned to join the military from an early age and worked hard to prepare for it. After completing all exams, she chose a different path and moved into politics and international work. Over time, she found her way into renewable energy, drawn by the chance to make a real difference for people, communities, and the future.
She moved to Finland almost ten years ago and has focused her career on the Baltic and Nordic regions. Her work combines business, regulations, and societal impact, and she seeks purpose in everything she does. Offshore wind caught her attention as a growing and complex field that connects engineering, logistics, ports, safety, and environmental responsibility.
The project in Finland reinforced Sarens’ strategic focus on offshore operations, highlighting the importance of experienced leadership in delivering complex offshore projects.
She works on early planning, technical studies, logistics, port operations, and heavy-lift projects, ensuring every step runs safely and efficiently. Her doctoral research on offshore foundations and port operations helps her tackle challenges and plan smarter solutions.
She turns complex problems into clear solutions, helping offshore wind projects move from planning to execution, reduce risks, and deliver lasting value for communities and the energy system. Her work is driven by purpose, teamwork, and the goal of making renewable energy safer, more efficient, and sustainable.
Discipline and Trust
Two experiences shaped Dr. Enrika Uusitalo’s working strategy:
- Military experience: Volunteering with the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union and attending military school taught her discipline, responsibility, trust, teamwork, and clear communication under pressure. She learned that every decision has real consequences, affecting people, safety, and results.
- Relocation to Finland: Moving to a new country required resilience, humility, and adaptability. She learned to observe, listen before acting, and make thoughtful decisions that focus on long-term outcomes rather than quick wins.
Together, these experiences taught her to stay calm in uncertain situations, take responsibility during challenges, and lead with clarity and empathy. These lessons continue to guide her in offshore wind projects, where decisions must balance people, safety, engineering, and long-term impact.
Clear Planning and Strong Engineering
Sarens plays an important role in the global offshore wind industry by helping complex projects run smoothly, safely, and on time. The company focuses on clear planning and strong engineering so that even the most challenging projects can be delivered with confidence.
Offshore wind projects involve very large and heavy components, tight schedules, limited port space, and complex logistics. Sarens addresses these challenges by starting work early in the planning phase. Its teams study ground conditions, design safe lifting methods, plan transport routes, and coordinate all activities before operations begin. This early preparation helps reduce risks, avoid delays, and improve safety during execution.
A major strength of Sarens is its wide and flexible fleet of equipment. The company operates some of the world’s largest crawler and ring cranes, along with jacking systems, gantries, self-propelled modular transporters, and custom lifting tools. This allows Sarens to choose the right equipment for each project and adapt to space or infrastructure limits, especially in busy offshore wind ports.
Sarens also combines global experience with strong local understanding. While maintaining the same high safety and engineering standards worldwide, the company adapts to local regulations, environmental conditions, and logistics. By working closely with developers, ports, contractors, vessel operators, and authorities, Sarens ensures good coordination and steady project progress.
Through careful planning, skilled teams, and reliable execution, Sarens helps offshore wind projects succeed safely and efficiently.
Moving 2,000-Tonne Giants
One of Sarens’ most notable projects was the heavy-lift and decommissioning operation at the Wergeland Base in Gulen, Norway. This project clearly demonstrated the company’s ability to handle complex challenges through careful planning, strong teamwork, and a clear focus on safety.
Highlights include:
- Lifting and relocating four massive concrete footings, each 25 metres high, 27 metres wide, and weighing 2,000 tonnes
- Challenging maritime conditions with heavy rainfall, changing sea levels, and limited waterfront space
- Use of a custom LR12500-1.0 crawler crane configuration, self-propelled modular transporters, and precise rigging
- Coordination across engineering, operations, marine management, and safety teams under Project Manager Willem Ditmer
- Responsible recycling of decommissioned footings to support local industry and environmental standards
This project showcased Sarens’ discipline, trust in its people, and its ability to deliver safe, complex operations in demanding conditions.
Growing Wind Energy Responsibly
The future of offshore wind in the Baltic region and across Europe is increasingly defined by how effectively offshore projects manage complexity, rather than by any single technological breakthrough. Success depends on treating offshore wind as a complete system, where permits, grids, ports, equipment, supply chains, and execution all work together from the start.
Regulations now play a much bigger role. Projects are no longer judged only on cost. In the Baltic region, strong permits, grid access, and ready ports and logistics decide how fast a project can move forward. Ports and offshore grids have become key assets, supporting cross-border power links and large, complex equipment.
Local conditions also matter. Ice, shallow waters, limited space, and shared land use mean that smart engineering and cooperation are more important than project size alone. Security is another growing concern. Turbines, cables, and grids must be protected from physical and cyber risks, especially as offshore wind becomes part of national energy security.
Technology helps, but planning is critical. Larger turbines and foundations need early coordination between engineering, ports, vessels, lifting plans, and logistics. Digital tools help teams plan better and reduce risks.
Offshore wind development must continue to grow responsibly. Protecting marine ecosystems and minimizing environmental impact are essential to ensuring the long-term success of offshore projects. The future of offshore energy lies in solutions that balance expansion, operational safety, and sustainability.
Focuses on Solutions that Bring Real Value
Sarens focuses on solutions that bring real value to wind developers by improving efficiency, safety, and environmental performance.
The company has invested in in-house designed, fully electric ring cranes and Sarens Giant Cranes equipped with electric power packs. These allow heavy-lift and transport work to be carried out with lower emissions and less noise, which is especially important in ports and near urban areas where environmental standards are strict.
In marine operations, Sarens uses energy-efficient barges with upgraded pumping systems to reduce energy use while maintaining reliability during ballasting and lifting. The company also uses bio-based hydraulic oils to lower environmental impact without affecting performance or safety.
A major strength of Sarens lies in its engineering-led approach. By getting involved early in project planning, designing custom lifting methods, and coordinating between ports, vessels, manufacturers, and installation schedules, the company can identify and reduce risks before execution begins. This allows projects to move more smoothly from planning to completion.
Overall, Sarens combines advanced equipment, careful engineering, and sustainable practices to ensure offshore wind projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and reliably, even as they grow larger and more complex.
Safety and Health as Top Priorities
In offshore wind projects, trust and meticulous preparation are critical to safe and successful execution. Offshore operations demand that every stakeholder understands each step before work begins, leaving no room for uncertainty. This disciplined approach reflects a deeply embedded culture of trust—one that extends beyond formal procedures and is essential for managing the complexity and risks inherent in offshore environments.
Sarens is a 100 percent family-owned company, and its values, traditions, and focus on precision shape operations worldwide. Safety and health are top priorities. The company follows an integrated Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality framework aligned with ISO standards, and risk management is embedded in every project. Practical tools such as Last-Minute Risk Assessments, the 10 Life-Saving Rules, and regular training reinforce this approach.
Regulatory compliance and quality assurance are strictly managed through audits, reporting, and reviews. Environmental responsibility is also key, with investments in low-emission and electric equipment, biodegradable oils, solar panels, and measures to reduce energy use, emissions, and waste.
Client trust is built through transparency, regular feedback, review meetings, and measurable performance indicators, ensuring collaboration and long-term partnerships.
Ultimately, Sarens’ reliability comes from a culture of accountability. Leaders take responsibility, teams are empowered to act, and safety, quality, and environmental issues are addressed promptly. This enables Sarens to deliver complex offshore wind and heavy-lift projects safely, efficiently, and consistently.
Recognized Among Europe’s Top 40 Under 40
Recognition and Awards Highlighting Sarens’ Excellence and Dr. Enrika Uusitalo’s work:
Sarens:
- Heavy Lift Awards, London 2025: Excellence in Engineering and Safety and Training Award
- ESTA Awards of Excellence: Combined Techniques and Lattice Boom Cranes
- Bechtel Supply Chain Partner of the Year 2025
- RoSPA Gold Medal (five consecutive years)
Dr. Enrika Uusitalo:
- 40 Under 40 – European Business Elite award in Rome 2025
Advice for Emerging Leaders in Renewable Energy and Offshore Wind
Success in the offshore sector is driven by full commitment, a willingness to ask the right questions, and consistently going the extra mile. Doing more than expected builds trust, skills, and long-term credibility. She emphasizes respecting people and nature, as humans are part of both.
She explains that renewable energy and offshore wind are not trends but responsibilities. The work depends on strong engineering, careful planning, public trust, and decisions that shape infrastructure for years. Understanding the full system, including turbines, ports, grids, policies, communities, and people, is essential.
Preparation is key. Many challenges come from poor planning rather than technology. Leaders should ask difficult questions early, speak up when something is not ready, and take responsibility. Credibility comes from consistency, learning from on-site teams, respecting experience, and delivering results under pressure. Flexibility and understanding different cultures are also important in this global industry.
Renewable energy is about long-term value, energy security, environmental responsibility, and building infrastructure for the future.
Quick Takes
- One quote that motivates you the most:
- If you are afraid, don’t do it, if you do it – don’t be afraid.
- One piece of advice you would offer to upcoming entrepreneurs or future business leaders:
- Find meaning in what you do.
- One movie or book you recommend everyone in business or leadership should experience:
- Letters from a Stoic — Seneca
Dr. Enrika Uusitalo’s 5 Impactful Business Mantras
- Start early and plan fully: Most risks come from late planning. Early preparation saves time, cost, and safety issues later.
- Treat every project as a connected system: Success depends on aligning engineering, logistics, ports, permits, people, and execution from day one.
- Strong engineering builds trust: Clear technical decisions and solid studies turn complex challenges into safe, reliable outcomes.
- Lead with responsibility and calm under pressure: Good leaders stay steady, take ownership, and make decisions that protect people, safety, and long-term value.
- Build value for the future, not quick wins: Real impact comes from work that supports communities, the environment, and energy security for generations.
