Year in review: Port of Tallinn’s most important events and projects in 2016

Here’s an overview of the most remarkable events and the most important projects for Port of Tallinn in 2016.

 

Port of Tallinn got a new Management Board and vision

In 2016 Port of Tallinn got a new Management Board including three members: CEO Valdo Kalm, CFO Marko Raid and CCO Margus Vihman.

Following the lead of the new Management Board Port of Tallinn’s new vision was formulated: Port of Tallinn aims to become the most innovative port on the shores of the Baltic Sea by offering its customers the best environment and development opportunities.

First goals of the new Management Board include finding new opportunities in operating the logistics chain in cooperation with Estonian Railways, Port of Tallinn’s clients and other logistics companies, continuing positive developments of passenger traffic and advancement of Old City Harbour’s real estate developments, as well as restoring company’s good reputation.

 

 

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Port of Tallinn welcomed its 10 millionth passenger

The year 2016 will go down in Port of Tallinn’s history with yet another record with port’s annual passenger number exceeding the magical 10 million. On 27th of December, Port of Tallinn’s 10 millionth passenger Kairit Pootsmann arrived on board of Eckerö Line’s ferry Finlandia.

In 2016 most passengers were serviced in Old City Harbour, where the most popular ferry line was Tallinn-Helsinki with the annual passenger number being about 8.4 million people. About 6 million people or 60% of all Port of Tallinn’s passengers travel by Tallink ferries; ferry with the biggest annual passenger number was Viking XPRS with more than 1.8 million people.

 

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Muuga Harbour celebrated its 30th anniversary

Estonia’s biggest and deepest cargo harbour – Muuga Harbour – was opened festively 30 years ago on December 19th in 1986. In this December Port of Tallinn celebrated Muuga Harbour’s 30th anniversary. Muuga Harbour was built mainly for importing grain and frozen food products into the Soviet Union and was one of the most modern and greatest harbours in the region by the time of completion. With its naturally deep waters and modern terminals Muuga Harbour is today also one of the most modern ports in Europe.

The territory of Muuga Harbour is 524.2 ha and aquatory 752 ha. The maximum depth of the harbour is 18 meters, which enables to service all vessels passing through the Danish Straits. Muuga Harbour includes 29 berths with total length exceeding 6 kilometres. Muuga Harbour’s cargo flow makes up about 50% of the total Estonian transit. In 2016, the expected cargo flow passing through Port of Tallinn is about 20 million tons, of which about 50% moves through Muuga Harbour.

 

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Saaremaa Harbour turned 10

Ten years ago on June 16th 2006 Saaremaa Harbour was festively opened by the Küdema Bay on Estonia’s biggest island Saaremaa. Saaremaa Harbour was planned and built for servicing cruise ships, which makes it unique in the entire region. More than 35,600 cruise tourists have visited Estonia’s biggest island Saaremaa through the Saaremaa Harbour during these ten years. Since 2006, 30 different cruise ships, owned by 19 cruise companies, have called Saaremaa Harbour 66 times.

Using Saaremaa Harbour for cruise purposes has not made it possible to exploit harbour’s entire potential. Therefore, it is aimed to start using the harbour for handling general and bulk cargo in the future.

Saaremaa Harbour has 2 quays for servicing ships up to 200 meters in length and also a quay for auxiliary vessels and a floating berth for small crafts.

 

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Starting operating the ferry traffic between Estonia’s mainland and biggest islands

On October 1^st, Port of Tallinn’s subsidiary company TS Laevad Ltd. started operating the ferry traffic between Estonia’s mainland and biggest islands Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, namely on the routes Virtsu-Kuivastu and Rohuküla-Heltermaa.

 

As the building of new ferries got delayed, TS Laevad started the ferry traffic with an older ferry Regula and with rented ferries and teams.Also, during the first few weeks temporary working arrangements were functioning in the harbours. On October 1^st, TS Laevad serviced 4,000 passengers and 1,700 vehicles. By the end of 2016 an automatic ticket control system has been applied, Praamid.ee ticket selling system has been launched and one of the new ferries, Leiger, has started servicing passengers. 

 

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Arrival of the ferry Leiger and starting operating

The first ferry ordered by Port of Tallinn’s subsidiary TS Laevad Leiger arrived to Estonia on December 10th.

The ship started its journey from Turkish shipyard Sefine on November 5th. The entire voyage included 4,665 nautical miles. Leiger’s festive christening ceremony took place on December 19th and the ferry made its maiden voyage on December 22nd. Leiger has two captains Hanno Naaber and Viktor Rohtla.

 

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Completion of micro-tunnel and winning the Seatrade Cruise Award

In 2016 the micro-tunnel construction in Old City Harbour was completed by Port of Tallinn’s subsidiary TS Energia Ltd. The new micro-tunnel applies to new IMO regulations increasing the reception capacity of sewage from 100 mᵌ to 1,000 mᵌ per hour due to construction of ship-shore-fixed sewage reception facilities connected to municipal sewer system. In September 2016 the micro-tunnel project won the reputable Seatrade Cruise Awards Environmental Initiative Award.

For the construction of the micro-tunnel in the port, Port of Tallinn requested and received EU co-financing from the development of the Helsinki-Tallinn maritime link projects: Twin-Port I and Twin- Port II. The total amount of the investment was EUR 2.45 million, of which EUR 690,000 is covered by the funding.

 

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Launching of e-Nose project in Muuga Harbour area

In 2016 e-Nose network was installed in Muuga Harbour area. E-Noses detect anomalies in air composition caused by the presence of reactive trace gases in the environment. Such anomalies may be caused by gaseous compounds emitted from chemicals being produced, stored or handled in Muuga Harbour. They may also be caused by the passing of gas plumes emitted by neighbouring companies. If the e-Nose network is sufficiently dense and the e-Noses are mounted at appropriate locations, the e-Nose can act as an early warning system for the oil companies. If the oil companies act appropriately, they will be able to reduce the risk of odour nuisance. The e-Nose data is displayed on a dedicated web-based tool – a graphical user interface that displays the actual status of the e-Nose by means of a coloured ball on the GIS coordinates of each e-Nose. The colour of the ball represents the actual gas composition that is detected by the e-Nose. Oil companies with online e-Noses and access to e-Noses in the Environmental Inspectorate area can identify if their operations lead to an external nuisance.

The total investment in the e-Nose project was 120 thousand euros, and it was co-financed 50% by the Environmental Investment Centre and the other 50% by Port of Tallinn, Vopak E.O.S., Vesta Terminal Tallinn and Oiltanking Tallinn.

 

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Announcing of the planning competition for the Old City Harbour’s long-term development vision

In 2016, Port of Tallinn announced a planning competition for the Old City Harbour long-term development vision in order to find a comprehensive solution that will become the basis for real estate developments in the harbour area and the connection of the urban and public space with the harbour’s functions. Port of Tallinn has the aim of bringing more urban development to the harbour area and making the area easily accessible and attractive.

The first stage of the planning competition for the Old City Harbour long-term development vision involves the selection of six participants who will have to present their initial visions of the future of the area. The second stage will be held at the beginning of 2017 in order to choose up to three contest projects that will be developed in more detail simultaneously. During the final stage of the process, the port is going to conclude a contract with the author of the contest project that is deemed to be the strongest; the final development vision will be completed by September 2017 in cooperation with the latter and will also incorporate the best ideas and suggestions from the other projects participating in the planning competition.

 

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New terminal in Paldiski South Harbour

In 2016 a new operator Baltic Oil Service Ltd. started operating in Paldiski South Harbour. Baltic Oil Service deals with storing and handling different oil products.

The company is operating a storage park with a capacity of about 40,000 mᵌ and another 40,000 mᵌ are being developed. First vessel at Paldiski South Harbour’s berth no 5 was serviced in September 2016.