The ports are important nodes for the transport of people and goods, and have an essential role in global trade and the world economy. They therefore also have a decisive role in creating a sustainable future aligned with the Paris Agreement and the United Nation’s global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). “Stockholm has had ambitious environmental and sustainability goals for many years. This is a good initiative in the right direction. It is important to work together with many actors to solve common challenges,” states Joakim Larsson (M), Vice Mayor for City Planning. Ten Nordic ports have signed a declaration that emphasises the importance of sharing knowledge, information and best practices within a variety of different environmental areas:
Energy use and alternative energy sources.
Emission of air and water pollutants from port operation, vessels at the quayside and sailing the same territorial waters.
Biological diversity and prevalence of invasive species.
Innovative solutions that support sustainable development, e.g., through close collaboration with academia, industry and start-ups.
“Sustainability issues are crucial, and at the same time extremely complex. To accelerate the work we need to create strong partnerships. The declaration is related to the UN’s global Sustainable Development Goals and signals a strong joint commitment among of some of the largest Nordic ports to act collectively, which strengthens our ability to take the work further,” says Thomas Andersson, Ports of Stockholm Managing Director. The ten Nordic ports that have signed the declaration are: the Copenhagen Malmö Port, Port of Helsingborg, Faxaports Iceland, Port of Aarhus, Port of Helsinki, Port of Esbjerg, Port of Gothenburg, Ports of Stockholm, Port of Tórshavn, and the Port of Oslo.