The Archipelago Sea harbour environment project was initiated by Stockholm, Mariehamn and Turku regional and municipal authorities in 1997. The project concentrated on environmental effects of regular passenger car ferry traffic on the Archipelago Sea as well as the various aspects of regulating the traffic. The project resulted in a common understanding of stakeholders (ports, environmental authorities and shipping companies) of the need to develop a long-term environmental policy for the different actors involved with the passenger car ferry traffic.

An important activity within the project was research of the environmental edffects of the traffic between the participating cities. This was done by the Centre of Maritime studies at the University of Turku between 1997-1998. The survey concentrated on three main themes: solid waste treatment, waste water treatment and emissions to the air.

The project was co-ordinated by the EnvCom Secretariat and it was co-financed by the city harbour and environmnetal authorities of Stockholm, Mariehamn and Turku as well as Interregg II A Skärgården structural fund.

A full Summary of the project can be obtained from the Commission on Environment Secretariat upon request. As a follow-up of this project, with the lead of City of Lübeck, the co-operation has been continued with a larger group of cities and ports in an on-going project funded by German Federal Environmental Authorities. Currently, a new project Sustainable Baltic Ports, is under preparation for the Interreg III B program. The application will be submitted to the next round (Feb-March-03). The consortium is now including some 20 partners, but new interested cities and ports are still warmly welcomed to contact the EnvCom Secretariat.

Back to Projects

Responsible for the information on this page is the commission itself
Report any errors you might encounter to the webmaster