International Evaluation of Research Activities Begins

The Kotka Maritime Research Centre is undertaking an evaluation of its research activities. The aim is to identify achievements and future priorities. In addition to scientific work, the evaluation covers societal interaction, which constitutes one of the Centre’s central priorities.

– Universities constantly undergo such evaluations, but this marks the first time a comprehensive evaluation is undertaken of scientific work at the Kotka Maritime Research Centre, explains Aalto University Professor Pentti Kujala.

In the context of the evaluation, experts will be hired both from Finland and abroad, marking a significant step in the process of developing the Kotka Maritime Research Centre. The evaluation is slated to begin in autumn 2018.

Children Inspired to Draw by Introduced Species

The Baltic Sea Village challenged Kotka’s schoolchildren to get creative with introduced species, i.e. plants or animals living outside their native habitat as a result of human activity. Introduced species pose a grave threat to biodiversity. The young artists’ drawings depicted species both real and imagined, with family tickets to the Maretarium aquarium raffled among the participants. One of the winners was 5-year-old Joanna, whose interpretation of an introduced species can be seen below.

The Baltic Sea Village is organized annually in the context of the Kotkan Meripäivät festival. Organizers included the Environmental Centre of the City of Kotka, Haili Nature School, Kymen Vesi Oy, Metsähallitus, Natural Resources Institute Finland, The South-Eastern Finland Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, and the Southern Finland Fishermen’s Association.

Open data in ports – requirement or opportunity?

Writing in “A Hundred New Opportunities for Finland in 2018–2037”, a publication by the Finnish Parliament’s Committee for the Future, futurologists Risto Linturi and Osmo Kuusi argue that transport is the fastest-developing of all sectors. Digitalisation is becoming a reality for the logistics sector, but are ports ready?

This is a fear also expressed by the Finnish Government, which issued a decision in then spring stating that transport hubs such as ports and airports will be required to generate more open data in the future. Open data is essential to digitalisation efforts, which the transport sector will also need to undertake.

Read the blog post in its entirety on the Centrum Balticum site.

Baltic Sea Village at the Kotka Maritime Days Festival

As is now tradition, the Meripäivät Festival brings along with it to Kotka the Baltic Sea Village, which boasts a range of activities for maritime enthusiasts of all ages. This year we will be discussing ways to take better care of the Baltic Sea, including how to make your kitchen more Baltic-friendly. Have you heard of the bay barnacle, round goby, Chinese mitten crab or marenzelleria? What should you do if you notice a member of an introduced species tugging at your fishing hook? With a wealth of information on introduced species, our tent lets you plunge your hand into a vat of “introduced species goo” or take in the artistic products of our drawing contest.

You will find the Village at the North Pier (behind Vellamo).

Welcome!

Opening hours of the Baltic Sea Village:
Thursday 26 July, 6pm to 8pm
Firday 27 July, 10am to 6pm
Saturday 28 July, 10am to 6pm
Sunday 29 July, 10am to 2pm

30MILES at Naantali’s Saaristo Areena Event

The Naantali Boat Show saw the organisation of the inaugural Saaristo Areena event on 26 and 27 May, which discussed archipelago and coastal tourism as well as boating safety. 30MILES participated with its own stand and a panel discussion on securing a clean archipelago.

30MILES introduces new tool for port design

The 30MILES project, whose aim is to develop coastal tourism, is introducing a new tool for the design of marinas on 23 May. The tool, developed by environmental scientists at the University of Helsinki, offers help with investment planning.
– This new model helps port designers identify the factors that most effectively increase customer satisfaction, says researcher Annukka Lehikoinen, who is one of the application’s developers.

Her working group will present the application at the 30MILES final seminar, where participants will have the opportunity to test different versions of then tool and influence the final phase of its development. The two-day final seminar’s second day will focus on the project’s other achievements.
For more information, contact Tarja Javanainen at tarja.javainen@merikotka.fi.
30 MILES is an EU-funded project whose aim is to develop water tourism. The three-year project aims to create a safe marina network with attractive services in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland.