Marine industries
The Maritime Spatial Plan identifies marine industries as a key part of clusters formed by the maritime sectors. Concentrations of marine industries are often found in the vicinity of major ports. Marine industries are included in the notation concerning a port when they operate near the port.
The notation identifies key areas for marine industries.
When developing marine industries, it is vital to take into account the marine industry network and its logistic connections.
Vision of the marine industries: The marine industries will promote the sustainable and needs-based use of the marine areas and minimize negative impacts caused by the activities by developing and utilising technology. Growing marine industries will be a source of welfare locally and nationally.
Major Finnish shipyards operate in Helsinki, Turku, Pori, Rauma, Salo, Kokkola and Uusikaupunki. The plan does not foresee any potential areas for new shipyards. It identifies the current locations of these operations, even if there are no separate map notations for Helsinki, Salo, Kokkola and Uusikaupunki. Teijo shipyard is not marked on the map at all. While the impacts of the missing notation are hypothetical, they may inadvertently undermine the yard’s operating capabilities.
Impacts
The environmental impacts caused by the shipyard industry are associated with logistics, port dredging needs, air emissions, climate impacts and risks affecting the soil, among other things. If the Maritime Spatial Plan is realised, the construction needs of offshore wind farms will increase shipyard activities, indirectly strengthening the environmental impacts of shipyards.
The marine industries and Finnish shipyards are socially and economically important actors. As a sector, they are sensitive to economic fluctuations and changes in the international competitive environment. The plan will ensure safe and smooth maritime transport connections also in the future, thus supporting the continuity and development of the sector. The maritime industry is a significant regional employer, and through the subcontracting network, it extends its impacts beyond the local area.
In the optimal situation, the construction of offshore wind farms in Finnish territorial waters will, from the perspective of shipyards, be seen as a factor that increases demand, especially if investors turn to Finnish operators for solutions. Special equipment is additionally needed for the construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms, and year-round maintenance also requires capabilities for navigating in ice conditions. This is a requirement which Finnish shipyards with their expertise are able to respond to competitively.
In the long term, the potential increase in aquaculture (fish farming) may also be reflected on shipyards as higher demand, if a need to introduce floating structures in order to provide better protection for the marine environment were also experienced in Finland.
The maritime industry also manufactures floating structures which have not, however, become widespread in Finland. If the potential of the archipelago and tourism is realised, this may increase the demand for new types of housing and accommodation solutions, which would have a positive impact on the Finnish maritime industry. As part of developing tourism, visitor centres could be established in connection with shipyards, enabling tourists to acquaint themselves with the cultural heritage and shipbuilding industry of the area. This would support the goal of collaborating with the tourism industry set out in the roadmap.
The marine industries can be regarded as a continuation of the maritime cultural heritage, and identifying shipyards as one actor in the group of marine area operators will facilitate continued shipyard operations.
Possible changes to shipyard areas may have local impacts on the cityscape. However, the Maritime Spatial Plan does not propose changes to the existing locations of marine industry operations, and the plan will consequently have no impact on landscapes and cityscapes as far as this industry is concerned.
