DeCoInter Talks: South Baltic Ports on the Path to a Sustainable Maritime Economy

2026-03-05

Energy transition and decarbonisation have become some of the most pressing priorities for ports and the maritime sector in the South Baltic region. To promote a sustainable blue economy, partners of the DeCoInter project have developed a series of short podcasts, “DeCoInter Talks”, where port representatives, maritime organisations, and academic experts share their experiences, practical solutions, and insights into the sector’s transformation.

Each podcast explores the real challenges and opportunities faced by ports: how to reduce CO₂ emissions, implement alternative fuels, modernise infrastructure, develop digital tools, and collaborate internationally. Experts from a variety of South Baltic ports – including Ystad, Klaipėda, Hamburg, Lübeck, and HaminaKotka – as well as academics from Gdynia Maritime University, discuss how ports address financing, regulatory and infrastructure challenges, plan green investments, and share best practices to foster sector-wide sustainability and innovation.

The podcast series also highlights the impact of EU-funded initiatives on port decarbonisation and energy transition. Listeners can learn about green investment financing models, practical solutions for reducing emissions today with LNG and Bio-LNG, the planning of Onshore Power Supply infrastructure, and the implementation of hydrogen technologies. Discussions further emphasise the importance of cross-border cooperation, experience sharing, and internal coordination within the sector – essential elements to ensure innovations are effective, scalable, and sustainable.

Beyond technical solutions, the podcasts examine the strategic challenges ports face: investment risks, regulatory uncertainty, volatility of future fuel prices, and the complexity of projects. Experts share real-life experiences applicable to other ports and maritime stakeholders – from innovative project planning to practical measures that already allow emission reductions and strengthen long-term economic resilience.

The series also presents the port ecosystem as a complex network of interconnected actors – from terminal operators and shipowners to service providers and inland transport partners. This perspective underscores that successful decarbonisation and energy transition are only achievable by aligning different stakeholders’ interests and fostering collaboration across the entire port ecosystem.

This project has been co-funded by the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

DeCoInter Talks: South Baltic Ports on the Path to a Sustainable Maritime Economy

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