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2024 Journal Impact Factor - 0.6
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ISSN 2083-6473
ISSN 2083-6481 (electronic version)
Editor-in-Chief
Associate Editor
Prof. Tomasz Neumann
Published by
TransNav, Faculty of Navigation
Gdynia Maritime University
3, John Paul II Avenue
81-345 Gdynia, POLAND
e-mail transnav@umg.edu.pl
The Impact of Climate Change on Maritime Transport: A Review of the Situation in the Kymenlaakso Region
1 South‐Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Kotka, Finland
ABSTRACT: In the context of international trade logistics, Finland is an island. Due to the significant reduction in trade with Russia following the war in Ukraine, maritime transport has become the predominant mode of transportation for exports and imports, accounting for approximately 95%. The Port of Hamina-Kotka, located in south-eastern Finland, is the primary freight port in the region and plays a crucial role in the maritime logistics of the heavy industry in eastern Finland. The consequences of climate change are being felt acutely in the area, especially during the winter months. Rising temperatures are leading to a decline in winter sea ice cover annually, exerting a substantial influence on winter weather conditions in the region. However, the variability of weather conditions, which is expected to continue in the future, poses an additional challenge. The ILMERI project (Impacts of Climate Change on Maritime Transport, implemented between March 1, 2025, and February 28, 2026), conducted by the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences and funded by the European Regional Development Fund, studies the effects of changes in conditions caused by climate change on maritime transport in the Kymenlaakso region. This article presents a summary of the baseline situation, including a review of the region’s fairway system, marine transportation infrastructure, typical cargo types transported, and available climate data. This is significant because fairway and port solutions represent long-term investments, and any recommendations must be based on reliable data to prevent both over and under-preparedness for future challenges.
KEYWORDS: Safety of Navigation, Maritime Transport, Port Operations, Water Level, Climate Change, Sea Ice, Wind and Waves, Fairways
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Citation note:
Altarriba E.: The Impact of Climate Change on Maritime Transport: A Review of the Situation in the Kymenlaakso Region. TransNav, the International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation, Vol. 19, No. 1, doi:10.12716/1001.19.01.23, pp. 197-205, 2025
Authors in other databases:
Elias Altarriba:
orcid.org/0000-0002-9569-2876
57209577334
orcid.org/0000-0002-9569-2876
57209577334
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