About project

The Challenge

Eutrophication, which is accelerated by climate change, and discharges of harmful substances can be considered the main threats to the coastal marine habitats of the Baltic Sea. The current measures by the coastal states fall behind the targets set in the national implementation plans of the EU Water Framework and Marine Strategy Framework Directives as well as in the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, calling for additional measures to improve the ecological status of the Sea.

In 2022, almost 262 million tonnes of dry bulk cargo were handled in the ports of the Baltic Sea region. According to shipping agreements, the loss of cargo can be up to 0,5%, resulting in the pollution of the Baltic Sea even by cargos that are not classified as HME (hazardous to the marine environment).

In maritime transport, most dry bulk commodities are prone to spillage and dust pollution during loading and unloading operations and temporary open air storage. Also, cargo residues are washed into the sea from ship decks and holds.

Given the sensitivity of the Baltic Sea, mitigation of cargo spills and dusting is warranted. By focusing on dry bulk, CargoRes will target both eutrophicating, oxygen-depleting and harmful substances in cargos such as grains, feed, wood chips, peat, coal, metal concentrates, and metal scrap, and implement measures that eliminate or reduce cargo losses.

Currently, procedures for preventing the cargo losses and handling the cargo residues in ports and onboard vary and regulation is weak. Environmental permits often require careful handling of the cargo and cleaning after (un)loading operations, and The International Maritime Organization (IMO) imposes restrictions on the release of hold washing waters to the Sea. However, even considerable losses are legal and recent projects have indicated that there is plenty of room for improvement (see C 2.6).

Our approach

CargoRes applies a practical approach in reducing cargo residues ending up into the Baltic Sea. The project has 3 ports (FIN, EST and LV) and 3 shipping companies (FIN and SE) committed to the project, giving the project information but also opportunity to influence the entire Central Baltic programme coastal area. The project also cooperates with certain committed authorities and associations.

The project works together with collaborating organisations, to reduce cargo spillage by identifying the most relevant pathways of cargo losses, and ways to eliminate these, e.g. improvements in practices for cargo loading, cleaning, and storage. Attention is paid to techniques mitigating pollution loading, especially via storm waters and hold washing waters. Pollution in hold washing waters will be reduced by improving ships’ access to port reception facilities (which currently may be time-consuming and costly) and by critically assessing the need for hold washing.

Our activities include:

• information collection and analysis i.e. an environmental due diligence of cargo handling, residues, and washing waters,
• planning and implementation of small-scale pilots,
• awareness raising and training to improve working practices,
• sharing of experiences.

As a result of CargoRes, the volume of cargo residues ending up in the Baltic Sea will decrease due to improved cargo and residue handling in collaborating organisations. Participating organisations will assess their infrastructure and working practices, and voluntarily commit to improvements that go beyond current legal requirements. Their findings and experiences will be shared for wider benefit in the form of written operative guidelines on the best practices to reduce cargo losses entering the sea scaling up the residue reductions beyond collaborators. The project is targeted especially to ports, port operators and shipping companies, but also to regulatory bodies.