Finnish Ports in Brief

Ports are businesses

On the Finnish mainland, there are 24 organisations which run commercial public ports.  Of these, twenty are owned and run by local authorities, while the remaining four are privately owned.  As well as the public ports, Finland has several industrial ports, and some municipal port facilities.

The Finnish Port Authorities invest around 100-120 million euros every year in:

• the development of port areas, waterways and harbour basins

• real estate

• equipment. 

Efficient ports, efficient life

Finland’s economy is reliant on exportation, and the majority of exports (90%), as well as a large proportion of imports (70%) travel through our ports.  Consequently, ports play a vital part in growing the economy, and in ensuring every-day life runs smooth. Our ports are especially important for the security of supplies.

Statistics

The throughput of Finnish ports in 2023 was:

  • 86 million tonnes of international goods traffic, of which imports were just over 44 million tonnes and exports just under 42 million tonnes.
  • 4.9 million tonnes of domestic freight traffic
  • 1.39 million TEU of international containerised freight traffic

Logistics

Ports make up part of the transport chain.  The state is responsible for the development of waterways, while the port authority is responsible for their own area.  Ports are also home to service providers such as companies providing goods handling and passenger services. Several authorities and organisations providing public services also collaborate with ports.The port authority directs business using Port By-laws.

Sustainable port activity

Finnish ports consider it important that: 

  •  Port management is responsible and long-term activity to develop an enduring infrastructure that will meet transport needs while using resources efficiently.
  • The environmental effects of port activity and transport are checked regularly.
  • Good quality ship waste disposal and safe cargohandling help prevent the pollution of the Baltic Sea. 

Responsible operations in ports includes: 

  • Waterways built to precise requirements
  • Cost-effective, reliable and efficient waste handling
  • Cooperation to prevent accidents at work
  • Rigorous fiscal responsibility