BSR Innoship, Baltic Sea cooperation for reducing ship and port emissions through knowledge- and innovation-based competitiveness

Research Project, 2010 – 2013

Maritime transport constitutes a vitally important part of trade and services for the countries around the Baltic Sea and Europe. Baltic shipping is constantly growing and some of the busiest shipping routes in the world go through the Baltic Sea. Consequently, the sensitive environment of the Baltic Sea is threatened by increasing pollution from the shipping industry. Through international agreements of International Maritime Organization (IMO), EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) and the EU Strategy and Action Plan for the Baltic Sea Region, the Baltic Sea countries are obliged to take actions to reduce harmful atmospheric emissions and strengthen joint coordinated efforts to make the Baltic Sea a model area for clean shipping. Due to more stringent international requirements for reducing nitrogen and sulphur oxide emissions, during the next five years the shipping industry in the Baltic Sea will be faced with substantially increased fuel expenses, logistics costs and needs for large investments into low emission technology and infrastructure. At the same time economies in the Baltic Sea countries are suffering from impacts of global recession. As part of a Flagship project under the Priority Area four in the EU Strategy and Action Plan for the Baltic Sea Region, BSR InnoShip addressed the common challenge of the Baltic Sea countries and the key maritime stakeholders to cooperate in minimizing shipbased air pollution, while aiming at optimizing competitiveness of the maritime industry. The project promoted new and innovative transnational approaches to mitigate the different needs and interests of the maritime sector and to ensure a level playing field for more sustainable and economically viable management of Baltic Sea resources. The project has provided the needed knowledge and best practices for the policy and decision makers in development and joint implementation of national and transnational policies, strategies and concrete measures to implement the international low emission requirements. Practical models and tools have been elaborated to estimate economic implications of the required emission reductions and encouraging voluntary measures and economic incentives for low emission solutions in local, national and the Baltic Sea level. The project partnership consisted of 21 partners and 24 associated partners representing Pan Baltic, national and local organizations in all the countries in the Baltic Sea region including Russia. In order to ensure achievement of the project goals the partners collaborated with the key Baltic maritime stakeholders including HELCOM and national maritime authorities in elaborating recommendations for joint actions to reduce and prevent atmospheric emissions of the shipping and ensure competitiveness of the Baltic maritime industry.