Activities under the “MarTe: Marine Technology Excellence Centre for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Baltic Sea” project are continuing across the Baltic Sea region, identifying and evaluating marine technologies for testing, implementation and adaptation to the specific needs of the Baltic Sea region. The Freeport of Ventspils Authority is one of the project partners.
For many years, ports in the Baltic Sea region have relied mainly on transit cargo. Geopolitical challenges and the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy solutions are encouraging ports to explore new areas for development.
The Freeport of Ventspils Authority sees the port of the future as a multifunctional hub—an energy hub, a site for the production and refuelling of alternative fuels, a ship bunkering facility, and a centre for testing and developing new technologies. This development direction is aligned with the objectives of the “MarTe” project to advance renewable energy, offshore wind farm servicing, solar energy production and the hydrogen economy. It allows existing port infrastructure to be used for new purposes and strengthens the role of the port of Ventspils in developing a sustainable blue economy.
So far, more than 50 marine technologies have been identified within the project and compared and assessed according to their relevance and readiness for implementation. These include solutions for smart ports, greener maritime transport, autonomous technologies, environmental monitoring and digital tools, as well as sustainable aquaculture and the development of offshore renewable energy.
During the project, the Freeport of Ventspils Authority is assessing the latest marine technologies, including autonomous and hydrogen-powered vessels that can be used for environmental monitoring and other tasks. Solutions are also being explored for using hydrogen production by-products in aquaculture and the circular economy.
The Freeport of Ventspils Authority is contributing to the development of a joint Estonian-Latvian Research and Innovation (R&I) Strategy, leading the preparation of the Commercialisation Pathway Roadmap. Based on the strategy, action plans are being developed, along with a concept for a Blue and Green Economy Technology Innovation Centre and Incubator, led by the Freeport of Ventspils Authority.
This project has received funding from the Horizon Europe subprogramme "Excellence Hubs" (HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-07-01) under Grant agreement No. 101186498.
The lead partner of the project is the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre (Sihtasutus Keskkonnainvesteeringute Keskus). The total project budget is EUR 4,999,822.50, of which EUR 369,450 is allocated to the Freeport of Ventspils Authority. The project is being implemented from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2028.
