Port of Helsinki’s development program gets go-ahead

Finland’s Port of Helsinki has received approval for its ten-year development program from the Helsinki City Board.

As a result of the development program based on the scenario review published in summer 2020, passenger traffic to Tallinn and Stockholm will be centralised to West Harbour and Katajanokka, respectively.

The arrangements include changes to the areas and terminals of West Harbour and Katajanokka as well as the construction of the harbour tunnel from West Harbour to Länsiväylä.

As described, the program involves several functionally interlinked changes and therefore needs to be implemented in a certain order.

The first parts to be implemented are the area arrangements of West Harbour, the renewal of the old terminal 1 and the harbour tunnel for centralising Tallinn-bound traffic. After this, the Katajanokka port arrangements will be made in order to centralise Stockholm-bound traffic there.

Once these parts are completed, the final phase can begin, which includes area arrangements in the South Harbour to reduce the port area.

The total sum of investments in the program between 2022 and 2030 is about €560 million (around $638 million). The port said that the investment package is financially profitable adding that it is financed with the company’s business activities.

“Helsinki is the most important driving force of the Finnish economy and the port is a very important and central part of it. The City’s common goal is to secure the operating conditions of the port and to develop the port as an even more functional package, and the development of the port is linked closely to the development of the entire city. Our goal is that the re-arrangements lead to a more lively, attractive and functional Helsinki”, said Mayor Juhana Vartiainen.

The current decision is a decision-in-principle about the implementation of the program, and it starts the project where many details will be specified.

The Port of Helsinki development program involves several decisions related to zoning, traffic and timetables, so the City’s internal coordination related to the programme plays a crucial role, the port explained.

“We can be very satisfied that we are now able to advance to the implementation of the project. It offers a clear development view to us and shipping companies. In addition, the growth of the company’s business activities is secured and the city centre’s vehicle traffic becomes smoother”, commented Ville Haapasaari, CEO of the Port of Helsinki.

Finally, the centralisation scenario selected as the basis of the development program is estimated to be the most positive in terms of environmental impacts.

The Port of Helsinki aims at carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2035, and the port, in accordance with its own Carbon-Neutral Port 2035 program, also aims to minimise CO2 emissions caused by other parties in the port areas as well.