Request for comments on assessment memorandum: Permanent halving of fairway dues would ensure Finland's competitiveness

A plan has been drawn up to turn the temporary halving of fairway dues into a permanent arrangement in line with the Government Programme. The change would boost the competitiveness of Finland's foreign trade.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications requests comments by 1 March 2024 on the draft assessment memorandum examining the permanent halving of fairway dues. 

The memorandum describes the background and current state of fairway dues and assesses the importance of their permanent halving for the operation of maritime logistics in Finland, the guidance and direction of fairway dues, companies offering and purchasing vessel transport, authorities and central government finances. 

The aim is to bring the permanent legislative amendment into force at the beginning of 2025. The rates of the fairway dues list would remain at the level they have been since 2015 during the period of halved dues. The primary aim of the legislative project is to abolish the periodic adjustment of fairway dues under temporary acts.

Fairway dues are payable to the State for merchant ships in Finnish territorial waters when they enter Finnish territorial waters from abroad or arrive in a Finnish port from another Finnish port. Fairway dues are collected by Customs.

Next steps

The deadline for comments is 1 March 2024. A summary of the comments will be drawn up and added to the assessment memorandum. The completed assessment memorandum will be published in the Gateway to Information on Government Projects.

The comments will be reviewed when the Ministry prepares a draft government proposal to Parliament on the permanent halving of fairway dues and other possible legislative amendments. If necessary, a stakeholder meeting will be held in spring 2024.

The draft government proposal should be ready for comments in mid-2024.

The legislative amendment implementing the permanent halving of fairway dues would be presented to the Government in autumn 2024 in connection with the budget proposal for 2025.

Inquiries

Juha Tervonen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 342 070, [email protected]