Safely connected and sustainable small ports in Central Baltic region
Currently common challenges for small ports especially in archipelago and islands are 1) limitations in safe access arrival, stay and departure the port due to less experienced seafarers as well as nature factors such as shallow and rocky routes, 2) lack of sustainable resource efficient services in ports, and 3) insufficient marketing activities separately in each port. In our project, these challenges are solved by mating the pilot small ports with the sailing triangle from Rauma, FI through Sottunga and Kökar, ÅX to Gävle-Söderhamn region, SE. Rauma and Gävle are also official sister cities. These areas have huge potential for visitors to the area both by the nature values and urban services. However, these small ports need practical co-operative actions to improve local and regional mobility and contribute to tourism development.
Our pilot small ports are owned and operated by the cities or private company in Rauma, FI, Sottunga and Kökar (ÅX) and Gävle and Söderhamn (SE). The practical activities in pilot small ports are 1) formation of interactive step by-step guidance by using ICT solutions, compatible with those existing used by the operators, for seafarers on safe arrival, stay and departure to/from the ports, 2) investments to sustainable and resource efficient infrastructure on land (e.g. solar energy, water, sanitation and WIFI availability), 3) mating the small port operators with each other and with seafarers (local people and visitors) in the small ports to meet the needs for services and their availability as well as co-operation activities i.e. marketing.
The PortMate will enhance safe access, suitable ’green services’ and joint marketing in small ports. The best practices on share of pilot small ports with good services will be expanded to other Central Baltic areas by an open access web-based ICT solution as well as in face-to-face events. The result will be 19 Central Baltic small ports with improved services.
