Saimaa is the largest lake in Finland and its over 800-kilometer- long deep-water fairway, with a depth of 4,35 meters. It is the only Finnish inland waterway freight route. The Saimaa Canal connects Lake Saimaa to the Baltic Sea.
There are six public inland ports by the fairway such as Joensuu, Lappeenranta, Kuopio, Savonlinna, Kitee and Varkaus.
The first two have just been added on the EU TEN-T Comprehensive Network map.
The location in Eastern Finland has made forest industry the most important customer group for inland ports.
Around 1,5 million tons of round wood are shipped to pulp, paper and wood products producers via inland waterways, either by ships or using timber rafting, a Finnish method of round wood transportation. The inland ports, as multimodal logistics hubs connecting waterways, roads, and railways, offer enterprises an excellent place for production, warehousing, handling, and shipping.European inland ports, along with the entire transport and logistics sector, face ever-stricter requirements on green transition, reduction of emissions and shift towards alternative fuels.
The European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) keeps its members well updated on new and changing EU regulations, giving inland ports time to react and influence the changes. Being a member of EFIP has provided Finnish inland ports with a networking channel and an opportunity to influence EU decision-making in cooperation with their European peers.
EFIP plays a central role as a promoter and spokesman for inland ports in the European Union.
Our voices are stronger together.The current geopolitical situation has impacted the operating environment in Lake Saimaa, in Finland, and the whole of Europe.
Despite the challenges, Finnish inland ports are actively working for carbon-free future and developing new services for their customers.Ongoing plans and investments in electrification, digitalisation and expansion of port areas attract new enterprises to establish their operations in ports.
We also want to enable the production and distribution of alternative fuels in port areas and thus promote green transition.
The Saimaa inland ports wish the European Federation of Inland Ports a Happy 30th Anniversary and bright future for the next decades!
