Hanko has a seaport which, thanks to its location, can be used for the longest possible time during the sometimes very severe, and freezing, Finnish winters.

Because all the other Finnish seaports might be frozen solid during the winter, there was an anticipation for a large amount freight transit traffic.

Owing to insufficient funds, the private company soon got into financial trouble.

Facing almost certain liquidation, the railroad company was sold to the Finnish State Railways in 1875.

[1] The Finnish state railway company VR Group currently operates passenger services between Hanko and Karis, with connections to long-distance services from Karis to Helsinki Central Station.