Posts Tagged ‘Finland’
Turku–Stockholm Green Shipping Corridor among the global front-runners
The Turku–Stockholm Green Shipping Corridor is one of the few routes where ambitious goals have already translated into concrete action. This is highlighted in the newly published Annual Progress Report on Green Shipping Corridors 2025, which tracks the global development of green maritime transport corridors.
In February 2024, the Ports of Turku and Stockholm together with Viking Line signed a cooperation agreement to develop a green maritime corridor between the two cities. The aim is to achieve a fully fossil-free and carbon‑neutral corridor by 2035, making it one of the Green Shipping Corridors defined under the Clydebank Declaration. The route was chosen as a pilot due to its high traffic volumes and its location in an environmentally sensitive archipelago. The cooperation provides a platform for solutions that can progressively reduce emissions and promote sustainable maritime transport.
Of the 84 global initiatives identified in the report, only four have so far reached the so‑called implementation stage, in which emission‑reducing measures are deployed in regular operations. Two of these are located in the Baltic Sea region, including the Turku–Stockholm route, which is regarded as one of the most advanced internationally.
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Originally published on 16 Dec
Read MoreNokia secures €870 million loan from EIB to drive Europe’s leadership in advanced mobile technologies
The EIB loan will support Nokia’s research and development in radio access networks, covering both hardware and software. These technologies are key to boosting the performance, energy efficiency and cybersecurity of mobile systems. They also lay the groundwork for integrating artificial intelligence in future 6G networks. The project helps retain high-skilled jobs and critical intellectual property within Europe.
“Nokia’s innovations in 5G and 6G are key to Europe’s digital future,” said EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer. “By supporting this R&D programme, we are helping to secure strategic autonomy in next-generation network technologies and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in a critical sector.”
Headquartered in Espoo, Nokia is a global leader in fixed, mobile and cloud network technologies, with operations in more than 130 countries and over 78,000 employees. The company invested €4.5 billion in R&D in 2024, representing 23% of its annual revenue.
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Originally published on 16 Dec
Read MoreFinnish Defence Forces procure systems support services from Insta
The Finnish Defence Forces procure defence system support services from Insta. The services acquired are in accordance with the strategic partnership agreement between the Defence Forces and strategic partners.
They cover support services for military aviation, maritime defence, intelligence, surveillance and command and control systems. Deliveries will mainly take place between 2026 and 2030.
Insta has been collaborating with the Defence Forces since the 1970s, when Insta began maintaining avionics equipment for the Air Force. Later, the defense business expanded to cover all branches. Insta and the Defence Forces signed a strategic partnership agreement at the end of 2015.
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Originally published on 12 Dec
Read MoreBuilding permit granted for Vaasa data centre project
The Building and Environmental Committee of the City of Vaasa, at its meeting on 10 December 2025, approved the building permit application for the plot located at Kuriiritie 7.
The site is planned to accommodate a data centre complex with a total floor area of approximately 66,000 square metres. It is situated in the GigaVaasa area, specifically within the Laajametsä business district near the airport. The project developer is FCDC Corp Oy.
Construction is estimated to commence in 2026, with the data centre expected to become operational between 2028 and 2029.
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Originally published on 11 Dec
Read MoreFinland and the Netherlands Hydrogen Clusters Begin Cooperation – Goal to Accelerate Europe’s Hydrogen Economy
The Finnish Hydrogen Cluster and the Dutch NLHydrogen have signed a cooperation agreement to promote collaboration among hydrogen stakeholders in both countries. Finland and the Netherlands share common interests in developing the hydrogen economy.
The Finnish Hydrogen Cluster, representing more than 80 companies and organizations, and NLHydrogen, encompassing 50 companies across the Dutch hydrogen value chain, will collaborate to accelerate the development of the hydrogen economy, supported by the local governments and Business Finland. The goal is to combine the strengths of the Finnish and Dutch hydrogen communities to jointly build a sustainable hydrogen value chain, strengthen energy security, and contribute to Europe’s climate goals.
The organizations signed the cooperation agreement during the Business Forum event in the presence of Ulkomaankauppa- ja kehitysministeri , Ville Tavio, and Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Aukje de Vries. Both Finland and the Netherlands have advanced energy and transport infrastructure, strong industrial clusters, and innovation-driven ecosystems. Both countries also recognize the benefits of developing a European wide hydrogen economy.
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Originally published on 12 Dec
Read MoreGovernment launches €90 million call for proposals for bio-based CO₂ capture projects
The government is promoting the construction of bio-based carbon dioxide capture capacity with a total of €90 million. On December 11, 2025, the Government issued a decree on the terms and conditions for grants to promote carbon capture in 2026–2032.
Government launches €90 million call for proposals for bio-based CO₂ capture projects
“Finland has a huge competitive advantage. We have clean electricity and bio-based carbon dioxide available for investments that will enable us to break away from our dependence on fossil fuels. The government wants to promote the advancement of these technologies, which strengthen self-sufficiency and reduce emissions. As the geopolitical situation becomes more tense, there is an increasing need for these dependency-reducing solutions and investments, and they should be seen as part of our preparedness,” says Minister of the Environment and Climate Sari Multala.
The grant, which will be available for application in January, will support the first biogenic carbon dioxide capture solutions and their scaling up to industrial scale, as well as accelerate the market-driven advancement of similar solutions. Support may be granted for investments related to biogenic carbon dioxide capture if the captured carbon dioxide is permanently stored (BECCS) or utilised in products (BECCU). In Finland, there is considerable potential for technical sinks and the utilisation of biogenic carbon dioxide.
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Originally published on 11 Dec
Read More“Fazer Latvija”: 18 million investment, the most modern bakery in the Baltics, and ambitions for further growth
Fazer Latvija is part of the international “Fazer” Group, founded in 1891 in Finland. The concern specializes in the production of bread, sweets, and other cereal and plant-based products. Over the years, Fazer has expanded its operations to eight countries, including Latvia, and now exports its products to roughly 40 world markets. Fazer Latvija is one of the largest bakeries in the country: the Ogre factory supplies bread and other products not only to Latvia, but also to Estonia, Lithuania, and Finland. The group’s trust in Latvia is also evident in its large-scale investments: last year they reached 18 million euros, and additional improvements of more than one million euros are planned for next year.
The past year marked a turning point for the Fazer structural unit in Latvia. The company made a strategic decision to merge its Baltic bread factories and concentrate production in one location – the Ogre region. Until now, production had taken place both in Latvia and Kaunas, but a detailed analysis showed that modernizing and consolidating production in Latvia would deliver greater long-term benefits.
With the implementation of this plan, total investments in Latvia reached 18 million euros. These funds were used to modernize and expand the production building, install three new production and assembly lines, and build a new warehouse. Although the modernization and automation of the factory on a Baltic scale generally meant a decrease in the number of employees, Latvia was an exception – around 60 new jobs were created at the Ogre factory during the project. As a result, the total number of employees at “Fazer” bread and confectionery factories in Latvia now exceeds 300.
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Originally published on 8 Dec
Read MoreIQM Quantum Computers opens new R&D office in Oulu
IQM Quantum Computers, a global leader in superconducting quantum computers, has opened a new R&D office in Oulu, the tech hub of northern Finland, as part of its efforts to develop advanced quantum chips for error-corrected quantum computers.
The move represents a strategic investment for IQM, complementing the company’s production and cleanroom facilities and assembly line in Espoo and quantum data centre in Munich, Germany.
In addition, the new office reflects IQM’s continuing commitment to building quantum ecosystems in major tech hubs and supporting research innovation and development activities.
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Originally published on 10 Dec
Read MorePort of Helsinki’s first standardised sustainability report published
Port of Helsinki Ltd published its first sustainability report based on the VSME-standard on December 4, 2025. The comprahensive voluntary report covers Port of Helsinki Lts’s operations in 2024. Standardised reporting improves the comparability of the operations of participating companies.
“We have long had ambitious sustainability commitments and targets in place, for example regarding carbon emissions, and have reported on them annually in accordance with our own practices. However, we are now adopting a new way of presenting existing information in accordance with the VSME standard,” says Head of Sustainability & HSEQ Andreas Slotte from the Port of Helsinki.
The Port of Helsinki’s operations are under pressure due to the growing expectations of owners, customers and e.g. ship passengers regarding responsible and sustainable operation. At the same time, legal requirements are also becoming stricter.
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Originally published on 4 Dec
Read MorePekka Ala-Pietilä appointed as Chair of Sitra’s Board of Directors
Experienced technology executive to head Finnish innovation fund
Pekka Ala-Pietilä, who has had a long career in technology companies, has been elected as chair of the board of Sitra.
Pekka currently serves as chair of the board of Sanoma and of the supervisory board of SAP SE. He has previously chaired the boards of Huhtamaki and Solidium, among others.
He also served as chair of the European Commission’s high-level expert group on artificial intelligence. From 2017 to 2019, Ala-Pietilä was a member of Sitra’s international expert panel.
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