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 also yielded results. Emissions into air from port operations in relation to tonnes transported decreased very significantly and improved energy efficiency has reduced our electricity consumption. Our currently valid environmental programme aims at improving those figures further and securing the well-being of the maritime environment. As an effort to improve the state of the Baltic Sea, we have shifted to disposing dredging masses on land.
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.
City of Turku’s Climate Team
We are a member of the City of Turku’s Climate Team. As part of our commitment to the city’s climate programme, we have announced that we will endeavour to reduce our emissions in order to realise the target of making Turku carbon neutral by 2029. We will also communicate about the climate actions of our organisation, act as a model for climate work and contribute to the actions of the Climate Team. We have promoted the transition towards carbon neutrality by transitioning to the use of renewable energy and the electrification of our operations. For example, following competitive bidding, we now use renewable electricity, and our vehicles and machinery have been switched to electric options as far as possible given the possibilities offered by the market.
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