NEFCO awarded financing for a new project by BSAG

NEFCO, The Nordic Green Bank, provides grant-based financing to projects that address various environmental challenges and problems facing the Baltic Sea, especially eutrophication. In May 2021, NEFCO awarded financing for 15 projects from 4 countries, totalling to EUR 1.5 million. One of the recipients was Baltic Sea Action Group.

The MILD project, launched by BSAG, aims at minimizing discharges of grey waters, treated black waters and food waste from ships into the Baltic Sea. According to the survey conducted by BSAG and Shipbrokers Finland, two thirds of cargo ships discharge their wastewaters into the sea. Although the discharges are legal, they are detrimental to the fragile marine environment. Moreover, one third of the ships reported they were not aware of the No Special Fee -system, a HELCOM pricing incentive encouraging ships to leave all waste at ports.

Earlier this year, BSAG invited several parties from the Finnish maritime cluster to draft an information package to increase awareness on responsible waste management onboard the ships and in shipping companies. The outcome, Baltic Sea Waste Fee Info, is being distributed to cargo ships heading to Finnish ports. The information package provides ships with information on current regulations, pricing principles and practices at ports, and on the consequences of excessive nutrient load to the marine environment.

More information, less discharges

NEFCO financed MILD project enables BSAG to scale the information package throughout the Baltic Sea. Positive piloting results from the Finnish maritime cluster give a good model for other countries, too. The project will arrange an information campaign together with local ports and ship brokers. More information to ships will mean less discharges to the Baltic Sea, hence the name MILD. The targets are achieved by close cooperation between ports, shipbrokers, and authorities. BSAG will act as a catalyst and coordinator to ensure ships are properly informed.

“The Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund is a key instrument for accelerating the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan defined by HELCOM. All the projects financed by the BSAP fund are expected to have a direct or indirect positive impact on the environmental status of the Baltic Sea,” says Dennis Hamro-Drotz, Senior Investment Manager at Nefco. “This time NEFCO received 33 project proposals from six countries. Among the 15 selected projects was the MILD project by BSAG which contributes to the goals of BSAP. We must take all possible actions to diminish nutrient load into the Baltic Sea. Encouraging ships to discharge waste waters and food waste into the ports is extremely important. We trust more information will mean less nutrients to the sea.”

The project has received funding from the Baltic Sea Action Plan Fund (BSAP Fund). The BSAP Fund is financed with contributions from the governments of Sweden and Finland, and jointly managed by Nefco and the Nordic Investment Bank. Read more on nefco.int/bsap”