Finland’s Port of Helsinki has released its price list for 2018, offering shipowners the opportunity to apply for vessel charge discounts on the basis of reduced environmental impacts.
The port informed that the discount is available to those who implement measures that reduce vessels’ environmental impacts, such as lowered air emissions, noise reduction while in the harbour, or other investments that improve environmental efficiency.
A liner traffic vessel can benefit from a maximum discount of 3% on its vessel fee if it falls into one of these categories.
“As we once again emphasise the importance of managing environmental impacts, we would like to thank our customers for good operations and offer them financial opportunities to develop their operations even further,” Aino Rantanen, Port of Helsinki Quality and Environmental Manager, said.
Vessels have had the option to discharge their wastewater at all Port of Helsinki quays for no additional fee since 2008. At the start of 2016 the Port of Helsinki also introduced a price incentive to attract international cruise ships to discharge wastewater at the port. The incentive proved effective: in 2016 waste water was discharged into the port’s systems at almost 90% of all cruise ship visits.
These experiences led the Port of Helsinki to expand its price incentives to reduce the environmental impacts of port and maritime operations.