CMP wins global sustainability award for cruise terminals in Copenhagen

Copenhagen has been voted winner of the award as World’s Best Cruise Terminal for Sustainability 2025 by World Cruise Awards.

At the fifth World Cruise Awards ceremony on December 6, 2025, Copenhagen was named World’s Best Cruise Terminal for Sustainability 2025. The award is a recognition of CMP’s sustainability agenda, which focuses on several aspects including environmental, social, and economic dimensions.

Over the last years, CMP has eliminated fossil fuels from terminal equipment and reduced emissions in its own operations by 76% during 2020–2024. Since this year, all berths at Langelinie and Oceankaj feature direct connections for wastewater, removing the need for barges and tanker trucks. One of Europe’s largest shore power facilities was inaugurated in June 2025 in Copenhagen, enabling ships to eliminate emissions when at berth. This would not have been possible without the cruise lines’ ambitious commitment to investing in shore power technology and willingness to connect. CMP’s terminals at Nordre Toldbod and Langelinie are located close to the city center, limiting transport needs for guests, and the terminals at Oceankaj will be even better integrated into Copenhagen’s public transport system with the planned extension of the Metro.

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Originally published on 9 Dec

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Over 150 cruise ships to call at Ports of Stockholm in 2026

Cruise traffic in Ports of Stockholm continues to increase. In 2026, 157 vessels with more than 300,000 passengers are expected to visit the ports. Cruise ship calls now occur throughout the year, with the majority of passengers coming from the German market.

The list of cruise calls for 2026 has now been published and shows continued positive development for cruise traffic at Ports of Stockholm. Seven ships will make their maiden call and a new cruise line is establishing itself. A total of 157 cruise calls are expected at the ports during the year – an increase compared with both 2025 and 2024. Twenty-one of the calls will be made at the Port of Nynäshamn – the highest number in many years.

“It’s great to see that demand is picking up again in the Baltic Sea and that the number of cruise ships is steadily increasing. Occupancy on board is also high, which means that the number of passengers is rising significantly,” says Stefan Scheja, Marketing Manager Ferries and Cruises at Ports of Stockholm.

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Originally published on 2 Dec

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The Baltic Sea could become a leader in climate-smart shipping – but unclear regulations are slowing progress

The Baltic Sea region has strong potential to take a lead in the transition to climate-smart marine fuels, but faces delays due to high costs and unclear political policy direction. This is highlighted in a new report from IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, in which Port of Luleå is studied.

The new report, which examines market conditions among the eight countries around the Baltic Sea, shows that hydrogen-based electrofuels – such as electro-ammonia and electro-methanol – will be crucial for meeting climate targets. Shipping is one of the sectors where transition to fossil-free operations is progressing slowly. The report shows that energy companies and ports see these new fuels as essential in the long term, but stakeholders hesitate to invest because of uncertainity about future demand or which fuel type will dominate. John Sundvall, Technical Director at Port of Luleå, confirms this and sees the development of renewable fuels as a necessity to meet future requirements from shipping companies and industry.

– In northern Sweden, a major energy transition in industry is underway, which could also benefit shipping. As a transport hub and one of EU’s strategically designated ports, we naturally want to contribute to this transition. It is possible to build infrastructure here for both bunkering and export, but for us to invest, the market needs to become more secure, he says.

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Originally published on 1 Dec

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Landing an orca Poland chooses Saab to build subs

Saab, a Swedish industrial group, has been chosen to deliver three submarines to the Polish navy. The deal will see the first sub delivered as part of the 10 billion zloty (€2.3 billion) Orka programme in 2030.

Even before Moscow’s unprovoked war on Ukraine, in 2022, Poland was one of Europe’s biggest military spenders. Since then, it has expanded investments in its armed forces further, and today its military spending amounts to 4.48% of its gross domestic product, the highest in Nato.

The Orka programme makes up a big chunk of that increase, and, say proponents, the subs are necessary for Poland to protect maritime infrastructure. Currently, Poland has one operational submarine, the ORP Orzeł. Built in the Soviet Union in 1985, it has a reputation of spending more time in repair than at sea.

Saab’s offer was chosen over five other bids, in part, because its model is specifically developed to operate in the Baltic. “The Swedish offer is the only one that met all the expectations of the navy,” Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s defence minister, said. Nothing under the sea apparently comes close either.

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One step closer to biomethane production in the port in Malmö

In 2024, CMP entered into a partnership with Green2x focused on the design, establishment, and operation of what is expected to become one of the world’s largest biofuel plants in Norra Hamnen, Malmö. The establishment will significantly contribute to the transition to fossil-free energy while creating job opportunities. The ambition of the collaboration is to ensure a sustainable energy supply, foster local growth, and support decarbonization.

Through Green2x’s technology, energy is extracted from straw left after harvest, enabling biogas production on an entirely new scale. Straw contains a high energy content, and the technology allows for extraction with over 95 percent efficiency.

Green2x has now secured investments of more than DKK 100 million from, among others, Norway’s Equinor and the Danish state-owned investment fund Eifo. These investments make it possible to begin construction of a pilot plant for biogas production on the island of Møn in Denmark. The pilot plant will further develop Green2x’s technology and serve as the basis for designing the planned facilities in Malmö and Vordingborg. This plant is therefore the first step toward large-scale production of unsubsidized biogas in the port in Malmö.

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Originally published on 25 Nov

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Stena Line acquires Wasaline

Stena Line strengthens its position in the Baltic Sea by acquiring NLC Ferry Ab Oy/Wasaline and taking over operations of the ferry route between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland.

“It is with great joy and enthusiasm that we at Stena Line take on the responsibility for Wasaline and the route between two important regions and cities, Umeå and Vaasa,” says Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line.

The only existing ferry connection between Umeå and Vaasa is jointly owned by the two cities through the 50/50-owned company Kvarken Link, which in turn owns NLC Ferry which operates under the auxiliary name Wasaline. Under the agreement signed today, Stena Line will acquire NLC Ferry and take over the operation of Wasaline. The vessel Aurora Botnia, which sails the route, will continue to be owned by Kvarken Link, the company jointly owned by the two cities.

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Originally published on 4 Nov

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From Stockholm to Riga, Outlast Fund launches €21M fund to back founders in it for the long game

Outlast Fund, a Baltic-Nordic VC fund, has closed its first fund at 21M EUR to invest in pre-seed and seed-stage startups from the region. The fund is based in Riga and Stockholm, and aims to be the first cheque in backing founders building solutions that are built to last, with initial pre-seed tickets of up to 250,000 EUR and 1.5M EUR seed rounds.

The fund goes against the grain in the investment environment, eschewing typical VC advice to prioritize quick exits. Rather, they look to scour the edges to uncover the most promising founders in the Baltics and Nordics, and are prepared to invest in them at the earliest stages to help them build enduring companies. 

The fund is particularly keen to keep an eye out for serial entrepreneurs with a proven track record, ready to back them as early as the idea stage. Outlast Fund also invests in first-time founders who possess unique and specific insights within their chosen verticals. However, a trait that they look for in all cases is an obsessive drive to solve their customers’ most pressing problems. Regardless of whether the founders are better suited for building lean teams with the help of angels, microfunds, and syndicates, or if they are eyeing large rounds from the get-go, Outlast Fund is ready to support from the first cheque, rather than jumping in at the middle.

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Originally published on 18 Sep

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House modules unloaded from Frihamnen Port

More than 400 house modules are currently being unloaded from Frihamnen Port in Stockholm. The modules arrived by ship directly from Malaysia and have been stored for some time in the port, which is a strategic hub for further transport to the final destinations Enköping and Nyköping.

The centrally located inner-city quays are an important complement to the Stockholm region’s major freight ports, which include Stockholm Norvik Port, Port of Nynäshamn and Port of Kapellskär. By utilizing Frihamnen for project cargo, customers benefit from increased flexibility and additional transport options.

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Originally published on 3 Sep

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New Roadmap Offers Guidance on Combatting Labour Exploitation in Sweden

The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the Swedish Gender Equality Agency (Jämställdhetsmyndigheten) have published a new roadmap aimed at strengthening Sweden’s response to trafficking for forced labour and labour exploitation.

The publication, Effectively Identifying, Disrupting and Countering THB for Labour Exploitation: A Roadmap for Sweden, offers practical guidance based on national and international research, study visits, and expert consultations.

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Originally published on 16 Apr

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Luleå University of Technology makes major investment in AI

Luleå University of Technology is taking a unified approach to AI development through a strategic action plan that encompasses the entire organisation. The aim is to integrate AI into its core mission while ensuring the technology is used ethically, legally, and intelligently.

“AI is here to stay and affects all of us, regardless of our role. This is one of the biggest technological changes we face – perhaps comparable to the introduction of personal computers. We need to understand it and use it in a responsible and smart way,” says Pär Weihed, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Luleå University of Technology.

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Originally published on 14 Apr

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