Markku Alahäme
Technical Director
Less emissions, more energy efficiency
The environmental impacts of own operations are constantly monitored and the same is also required from the partners and subcontractors. The Port will note the views of different stakeholders in the development of the environmental issues and co-operates with both national and international organisations.
The important thing in environmental work is to co-operate with other parties. Together we will achieve significant results for our clean environment.
Our long-term work for the environment has yielded results. Emissions into the air caused by port operations have decreased by 82% compared to transported tons during the years 2011–2021. Energy-efficiency has also improved, as electricity consumption decreased by as much as 24 per cent over the same period. Our currently valid environmental programme aims at improving those figures further and securing the well-being of the maritime environment. The latter involves our decision to stop disposal of dredging masses in the sea.
Port’s goal is, as part of the city of Turku, to participate in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Port’s environmental program works in the same direction according to the city’s climate plan; the goal is a carbon-neutral Turku. As part of Port’s environmental work, Port have switch to electric cars in daily operations. The first electric cars arrived at the port in February 2022. All Port’s passenger cars and vans were changed to electric during the years 2021-2023.
We also promote the goals of our environmental work by participating in many co-operation projects that take the environmental aspects into account.
Baltic Sea Challenge
We are participating in the Baltic Sea Challenge initiated by the cities of Helsinki and Turku. In the fourth action period from 2024 to 2028, the emphasis is particularly on reducing the load caused by stormwater, promoting biodiversity, and fostering collaboration and participation. There are six objectives for this period, covering the most significant threats to the Baltic Sea and key solutions: promoting sustainable use of the sea, preventing pollution, reducing harmful substances, increasing biodiversity, mitigating eutrophication, and enhancing collaboration and participation. Turku Port’s actions in the new period are related to the development of a compensation model for the water effects of waterways and port maintenance, where the compensation required for water damage is investigated and determined in situations where the damage cannot be avoided.
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