Finnish
Ports
Navigating Towards Sustainable Harbours
This report highlights how collaboration and knowledge sharing can drive sustainable energy use in ports, focusing on emission reductions achieved through smart and future-ready port policies.
It’s intended to support Dutch maritime businesses, sector organisations, and government institutions in uncovering opportunities and forging partnerships across Finland’s dynamic maritime sector.
Within these pages, you’ll find detailed profiles of leading Finnish ports, valuable policy insights, a stakeholder analysis, and targeted recommendations for sustainable growth.
Executive summary
Finland’s 44 commercial ports are crucial to the country’s economy. Since neighbouring Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Finnish port policy has prioritised military mobility and supply chain security.
While safety remains a national focus, Finnish ports are also pursuing roles in the green transition. Approaches vary: some ports support offshore wind development, while others aim to integrate into a hydrogen backbone along the coast. However, with minimal national port specific policies or funding, Finnish ports rely heavily on EU guidelines and funding.
Although Finland’s alternative fuel strategy does not specify the role of ports, many ports are positioning themselves within the energy transition, with plans for green hydrogen production and bunkering. Legislative hurdles are delaying offshore wind development in the Baltic Sea, which is expected within the next five to ten years.
Finnish ports are small but innovative and actively seek international partnerships, particularly with neighbouring ports like Stockholm and Tallinn. They are eager to collaborate with Dutch businesses, often citing Dutch expertise in sustainable development as an inspiration.
Conversations with Finnish Ports
To bring this report to life, we spoke directly with the people shaping Finland’s maritime future. Throughout the project, we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders — from port authorities to sustainability leaders and maritime innovators.
Each conversation offered a fresh perspective on how Finnish ports are rethinking energy use and accelerating emission reductions. These weren’t just formal interviews, but lively dialogues filled with bold ideas, real-world challenges, and a shared determination to make the maritime sector greener.
As we gathered insights from ports across Finland, a clear message emerged: the transition is both urgent and exciting. Ports are no longer just gateways for goods — they’re becoming central players in the green transformation.
The knowledge, experience, and strategies shared by these stakeholders have been woven into this report to help Dutch businesses, organisations, and governments uncover meaningful opportunities for collaboration.
This project goes beyond statistics and policy. It’s a story of people, partnerships, and the power of a shared vision for a sustainable maritime future.
Included ports are (among others) the Port of Helsinki, Port of Turku, and Port of Raahe.
The report Finnish Ports: Navigating Towards Sustainable Harbours is copyrighted by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Finland (© 2025).