International cooperation and influence are essential in the port sector. Maritime transport is inherently global, and much of its regulation originates from international bodies, particularly the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union. The Finnish Ports Association’s international focus lies in the Baltic Sea and Europe, where Finland’s main maritime trade connections are located.
A significant portion of port-related legislation is created within EU institutions. The Finnish Ports Association is an active participant in ESPO, which has a well-established role in EU-level advocacy.
ESPO represents ports in 23 European coastal countries through national associations. It forms shared European positions through committee work.
Annaleena Mäkilä, former CEO of the Finnish Ports Association, served as ESPO’s Chair from 2020 to 2022.
EFIP brings together nearly 200 inland ports and port authorities across Europe. It monitors EU transport and environmental policies and represents inland ports in EU institutions. The Finnish Ports Association is a member of EFIP and advocates for Finnish inland ports at the EU level.
The Finnish Ports Association is a member of this global organisation, which facilitates tracking international trends and networking beyond Europe. IAPH also organizes global port conferences.
Finnish and Swedish maritime clusters cooperate closely. Industry actors annually co-organize the Fairway Forward seminar, addressing shared Nordic maritime, port, and marine industry topics. Nordic port associations also maintain active contact to exchange views on market developments in Northern Europe, align positions on EU issues, and promote access to EU funding instruments for Nordic ports.
The Finnish Ports Association maintains relations with the BPO secretariat. BPO membership consists of ports across the Baltic Sea region.
BPO facilitates various port-related projects, particularly concerning the marine environment.
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