Port of Tallinn reports on its most important events and projects in 2019
Port of Tallinn offers an overview of the most remarkable events and important projects for Port of Tallinn in 2019:
Another record-breaking year in passenger flow for Port of Tallinn
In 2019, 10.64 million passengers passed through the harbours of Port of Tallinn, that is 20,381 passengers more than a year earlier. Most of the passengers were serviced at Old City Harbour; the most popular shipping route was Tallinn-Helsinki with 8.8 million passengers. 6.02 million people or 56.2 % of all the passengers travelled by Tallink ships and the most popular ship with 2.1 million annual passengers was Tallink’s Megastar. The passenger number of Port of Tallinn increased 12th year in a row.
Opening of the renewed part of passenger terminal D
As of October 8, 2019, the visitors of Port of Tallinn have at their disposal the bright and spacious new rooms suitable for the largest sea and tourism gate in Estonia. For the interior design of the terminal modern materials were used, natural timber and light colours.
The windows offer beautiful views of the Old Town as well as the harbour areas; passengers can use much larger waiting and seating areas, a café and a shop.
The terminal D is being built by Nordecon and the completion of the whole building is scheduled for summer 2020.
The D-terminal is used by passengers of the Tallink shipping company.
Record-breaking cruise season
During the cruise season lasting from April 27th to October 19th 75 different cruise ships called Tallinn in total of 338 times bringing the record-breaking amount of 656,087 passengers to our capital. That was 21 thousand passengers more than a year earlier.
At Saaremaa harbour, also operated by Port of Tallinn, cruise ships called seven times bringing 3,836 people to explore Estonia’s biggest island. Most of them were tourists from Germany.
Opening the Muuga-Vuosaari line for passengers
As of June 12, 2019, Tallink offers passengers with vehicles a cheaper connection between Estonia and Finland enables its passengers to sail by the ship Seawind from Muuga Harbour to Vuosaari Harbour in Finland.
As of June 25, Eckerö Line’s ship Finbo Cargo also started operating the Muuga-Vuosaari line serving both trucks and passengers with cars.
Port of Tallinn aims to guide vehicles concentrated on cargo flow to Muuga Harbour to reduce the traffic load and air pollution in Tallinn city centre.
Creating the shore power supply for ships
Port of Tallinn will install the latest ABB shore power systems on five of its piers in the Old City Harbour as part of the first shore power project in Estonia.
The shore power project is foremost an environmental and green port project as it reduces CO2 pollution and noise and not only in the port but also in the city of Tallinn.
The first three quays offering shore power to ships will be ready by the end of 2020.
The shore power technology being implemented is the most modern shore-to-ship solution being supplied by ABB and built by AS Elero.
New operators and ownership changes at Muuga Harbour terminals
On April 3rd, the Royal Vopak N.V. and Global Ports Investments PLC announced selling all the shares of the Baltics biggest oil terminal operator Vopak E.O.S. to the Abu Dhabi’s company Liwathon. The name of the logistics company is now Liwathon E.O.S.
On June 12th, Port of Tallinn and PK Terminal signed a contract for the construction of a dry bulk and mixed cargo terminal in Muuga Harbour with the focus on handling and storing round wood, bulk and metal products.
On July 5th, the parent company of the Olerex Group, Aqua Marina AS, signed an agreement for the purchase of the Oiltanking Tallinn terminal in Muuga Harbour. With a total capacity of 78 550 m3, the Oiltanking Tallinn terminal is one of the most versatile and technically advanced terminals in the Baltic Sea region.
On August 6th, Baltic Marine Logistics Group (BMLG) completed the acquisition of Stivis OÜ. Stivis handles goods on four quays in Muuga Harbour, owns about 4.5 ha of storage areas and 0.5 ha of closed warehouses behind the quays.
Focus on decreasing the environmental impact and develop the cruise industry sustainably
Many cruise organisations are actively engaged in ensuring the sustainable development of the cruise industry.
On February 7th, the representatives of ports and cruise companies of the Baltic Sea and North Sea met in Tallinn at the conference “Green Cruise Port – Smart Cruise Port Developments in the Baltic Sea Region” during which all parties signed the Green Cruise Port Action Plan 2030, that sets out an overall vision to decouple growth from negative and guarantee the sustainability of the cruise industry.
In a forum in Copenhagen with more than 160 cruise companies and organizations, 29 ports, including Port of Tallinn, signed the ambitious Cruise Baltic Sustainability Manifesto.
Port of Tallinn and the Estonian Academy of Arts signed a cooperation agreement for the purpose of launching the research project “Tallinn’s Old Town: sustainable management and presentation”.
