The BALTIC-FIT project is aimed at enabling maritime transport in the Baltic Sea Region to meet the 'Fit for 55' decarbonization targets. The Innovation Workshop, focused on advancing sustainable maritime practices, brought together more than 70 leading experts from Estonia, Finland, and Sweden, representing maritime businesses, operational companies, academia, and governmental authorities.

This workshop marked a significant milestone in the BALTIC-FIT project’s three-year innovation strategy, which is designed to strengthen Tallinn University of Technology’s (TalTech) role in maritime decarbonization and to offer tangible solutions for achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in the Baltic Sea's highly regulated environment.

Key Discussions on Maritime Decarbonization

The event featured presentations from distinguished speakers, including Wolfgang Lehmacher, an expert on supply chain optimization, and Maurice Jansen, who focused on sustainable port management. These keynote presentations set the stage for a day full of collaborative discussions and knowledge-sharing aimed at tackling the specific operational challenges of shipping in the Baltic Sea region.

Participants engaged in three parallel workshops, each focusing on critical areas for maritime decarbonization:

• Decarbonization through Digitalization (Moderators: Wolfgang Lehmacher, Kadri Haufe, Mikael Lind)
• Sustainable Ports (Moderators: Maurice Jansen, Hele-Mai Metsal)
• Decarbonization in Shipping: Potential and Existing Technologies (Moderators: Ulla Tapaninen, Hannes Lilp, Teemu Manderbacka)

The event provided a forum for maritime stakeholders to exchange ideas on operational, technical, and digital approaches to reducing carbon emissions.

Special Training on EU Funding and Proposal Writing

In addition to the workshops, the attendees had the opportunity to participate in a training session on Navigating EU Funds for Green Maritime Initiatives. Led by Anna Zmiievska from project partner Anromind, the session offered valuable insights into successful proposal writing strategies for securing EU funding, followed by one-on-one consultations for participants.

A Collaborative Effort for a Sustainable Future

This workshop highlighted the collaborative efforts of the BALTIC-FIT project, the Estonian Maritime Cluster, and other key stakeholders. The event was opened by Jaak Viilipus, Director of Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Climate, Riina Palu, Chair of the Estonian Maritime Cluster, and Professor Ulla Tapaninen, the project’s coordinator and a leading expert in maritime decarbonization.

A special acknowledgment goes to the workshop moderators, TalTech’s Maritime Transport research group, and all attendees whose active participation contributed to the event’s success. The BALTIC-FIT team will continue building momentum toward decarbonizing the Baltic Sea's shipping sector over the next three years.

Stay tuned for updates as the BALTIC-FIT project progresses toward a greener maritime future.