Maritime strategy aims at competitiveness and vitality
Finland and Finnish business life are thriving, Finnish people are active and well and our country is competitive in the world markets. Finland's success is supported by smart and appropriate maritime connections. This is the vision in Finland's maritime strategy that was submitted to Ms Merja Kyllönen, Minister of Transport, on 12 March.
Finland's maritime strategy for 2014-2022 provides an overall view that serves Finland's economy, business life and employment and takes account of the new environmental norms. The drafting process of the strategy was open and completed together with the maritime sector and operators in that field.
"The importance of the maritime sector for Finnish competitiveness is crucial. I am delighted that we now have an overall view of the challenges ahead of us and of the measures we will need in the future. The maritime sector involves a lot of growth potential that we really need to utilise", says Minister Kyllönen.
Finland is a land of maritime transport. Effective sea connections are a necessity for Finland's business life and thus the entire society. Finland and its national success and wellbeing are highly dependant on maritime transport.
For the sector to develop, cooperation, trust and high-achiever attitude as well as forward-looking supervision of interests, strong influence and international partnership are needed. The role of administration is to enable and offer a supportive operating environment for new methods and innovation.
The maritime strategy aims at efficient transport chains that support competitiveness. Its objective is that Finnish foreign trade and domestic waterborne transport are fluent and socio-economically viable and that international competitiveness is ensured also in winter. In order to ensure Finland's national competitiveness fairway dues should not burden maritime transport any more than at present.
The maritime cluster has potential for growth also to Finland. One of the goals is that Finland will be a forerunner in winter and environmental technology and will export high competence in those fields.
The aim is that Finland will achieve excellence in sea and ice know-how. It should be ensured that maritime transport and maritime cluster attract experts and that the visibility of the sector will be promoted.
The Baltic Sea is seen in the strategy as a sea area of many opportunities. The objective is that the Baltic Sea will be safe and clean enough for swimming and that it will attract recreational activities and tourism and provide high-quality maritime services for the use of the market area. The strategy sets a goal that the Finnish maritime transport sector will become the leading service provider of the Baltic Sea countries in terms of sustainable logistic concepts.
Further information:
Ms Piia Karjalainen, Senior Adviser, tel. tel. +358 295 34 2303
MS Lolan Eriksson, Senior Government Adviser, tel. tel. +358 295 34 2493
Ms Leena Sirkjärvi, Senior Officer, tel. tel. +358 295 34 2402
