MUSTBE as Part of Building Urban Resilience

Maritime Logistics Research Forum was held in Rauma, Finland, on May 6, 2025, as part of the “West Coast as a Centre of Security of Supply” event. The goal was to bring together different stakeholders and discuss the Finnish West Coast’s role in ensuring the security of supply, as well as showcase the Maritime Logistics Research Centre’s current projects from the viewpoint of security of supply. As such, the MUSTBE project was also presented.

The “West Coast as a Centre of Security of Supply” event brought together experts from the field, authorities, higher education institutions, and company representatives. The aim of the event was to discuss the role of the West Coast in supporting Finland’s security of supply goals. The event consisted of seminars, a guided tour of the maritime simulator, and the Maritime Logistics Research Forum. All the ongoing Maritime Logistics Research Centre’s projects, including MUSTBE, were presented in the research forum from the perspective of security of supply. 

Increasing Resilience in Urban Environments

According to the Finnish Ministry of Justice, security of supply refers to ensuring the availability of necessary and critical production, services, and infrastructure during serious disturbances or exceptional circumstances. [1] A common theme and a concerning risk to the security of supply that emerged from multiple expert presentations was climate change, causing disturbances in the form of extreme weather events that require various actions, such as mitigation strategies and precautions, to ensure the security of supply.

As heavy rainfall becomes more frequent in the future due to climate change, the city environments and critical infrastructure are vulnerable to flooding, which may cause challenges to the smooth movement of people, goods and services. Poor stormwater treatment systems may also lead to significant damage to buildings and other infrastructure. Thus, the nature-based stormwater treatment solutions developed through MUSTBE help mitigate the impacts of flooding, support the continuity of functions during heavy rainfall and make urban areas more resilient against extreme weather conditions.

Security of supply is becoming increasingly more important in Finland and other Central Baltic countries. Projects like MUSTBE play a key role in developing sustainable nature-based solutions while simultaneously helping urban environments adapt to the impacts of climate change, leading to their increased resilience and sustainability.

Sources:
[1] https://finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/2024/568

Writers and editors: Veera Seikkula, Meri-Maaria Salo