Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Port and Maritime Policy for the Baltic Sea Region signed and endorsed

The Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) endorsed the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Port and Maritime Policy in the Baltic Sea Region on the 30th of September 2005, in its General Conference in Turku, Finland. On the same occasion, the memorandum was undersigned by 15 major Baltic ports and port cities.

In his address to participants, UBC President considered the Memorandum to be a significant initiative of active ports and port cities.

All other Baltic ports, port cities, shipping companies and stakeholders are now welcomed to sign the Memorandum.

This Memorandum of Understanding creates the basis for common environmental practices to all ports at the Baltic Sea. It is a voluntary agreement on common environmental practices dealing with ships’ emissions to the air, handling of waste and managing waste waters. This is an important and practical contribution for better living environments at the port cities as well as for improving the state of the Baltic Sea.

Through the Memorandum cities are committing to encourage their port administrations to implement measures for reducing air emissions from shipping and to harmonize their technical facilities and procedures for waste and waste water management and noise abatement with other port cities. Correspondingly, the ports engage themselves to effectuate these measures and practices in order to reduce environmental impacts. Ship owners’ task is to contribute to new procedures by using the best available technology.

The New Hansa of Sustainable Ports and Cities project is part of the UBC Agenda 21 Action Programme 2004-2009 - Roadmap for Sustainable Baltic Cities. The New Hansa of Sustainable Ports and Cities project is part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) within the BSR INTERREG III B Neighbourhood Programme and by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment. Union of the Baltic Cities is a representative organization of 100 Baltic Sea regional cities.