Harbours and PPP

Future offshore wind farms may have both positive and negative impacts on neighbouring regions. The key issue is whether the small harbours of Estonia’s largest islands and the Kurzeme region, along with their local communities, can benefit from these developments and enhance regional resilience.

Project Objective:

The project aims to find solutions to help harbours, communities, and regions in the areas of future offshore wind farms and other marine facilities to take advantage of these developments. The focus is on the Riga Gulf and the maritime space west of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa.

Key Activities:

• Develop a joint strategy for harbour development, focusing on new services related to offshore wind farm construction and maintenance.
• Support harbours that may experience a decline in tourism by helping them reassess their business models and explore Public-Private Partnership (PPP) solutions.
• Encourage cross-border cooperation between Estonia and Latvia, as shared strategies can offer greater benefits than competition.
• Based on the joint strategy, create local development plans for harbour areas, including tailored PPP solutions.
• Establish a monitoring and cooperation framework to ensure continued collaboration beyond the project.

Expected Results:

• A joint strategy for harbour development in the project area of Latvia and Estonia.
• Local development and action plans for harbours in Talsi, Saaremaa, and Hiiumaa, incorporating PPP solutions.
• A cooperation model to guide future joint actions for harbour development.

Links to partners' websites: 

•  https://marineindustry.ee/en/projects/harbours-interreg/