Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment has published a maritime industry strategy that looks ahead to 2035 and also addresses offshore wind. The strategy highlights offshore wind as one of the fastest-growing energy and industrial sectors worldwide. It emphasizes that developing offshore wind generation requires a broad industrial ecosystem, covering everything from wind turbines and offshore structures to specialized vessels and port and logistics infrastructure.
These priorities are consistent with the views the Pori Offshore Wind Hub has expressed in its previous statements.
The strategy identifies the expansion of offshore wind capacity as a key means of increasing electricity generation, enabling the hydrogen economy and driving new industrial growth. It also recognizes that offshore wind construction creates opportunities for the development of the maritime industry as a whole.
Strengthening infrastructure and ecosystems such as offshore wind hubs
The ministry’s strategy includes practical recommendations for creating test environments and ecosystems for marine energy infrastructure. It also calls for bringing together the Finnish maritime industry’s products and services, strengthening collaboration and providing the resources needed to support it.
The proposed measures have a strong regional dimension: the strategy’s objectives will be put into practice through regional ecosystems spanning maritime clusters, expertise, ports, education and innovation.
This provides a sound strategic basis for Pori and Raahe to be selected as the first research, development and innovation (RDI) and demonstration environments operating at full industrial scale.
Pori and Raahe at the forefront of offshore wind port development
The cities and ports of Pori and Raahe have emphasized the importance of developing locally rooted expertise and an optimally located pair of ports. The industrial export opportunities that offshore wind offers, as highlighted in the ministry’s strategy, are also on Pori and Raahe’s agenda. Both cities see offshore wind development as one of Finland’s most significant new industrial opportunities, and one that should be seized quickly.
A year ago, the cities of Pori and Raahe agreed to cooperate on the development of offshore wind hubs and ports. Their collaboration aims to secure port investments and the associated investment support. As concrete next steps, the cities emphasize the need to select, at national level, the offshore wind hubs to be developed and to establish a dedicated multi-year investment programme for their ports.
The goal should be for Finland to have the critical construction, assembly and logistics capabilities required at its offshore wind hubs in place by 2030 at the latest.
Read the strategy (in Finnish):
Suomen meriteollisuusstrategia: Kestävä ja kilpailukykyinen meriteollisuus 2035