The Baltic Sea is not the alternative – it is the future of cruising
Cruising is entering a new phase. As travel trends shift toward authenticity, sustainability and emotional value, Northern Europe – and the Baltic Sea in particular – is increasingly aligned with the expectations of tomorrow’s cruise passengers. Across the travel sector, demand is moving away from overcrowded destinations and toward places that offer cultural depth and a sense of genuine discovery.
In this context, the Baltic Sea stands out not because it is spectacular in scale, but because it is coherent in character. Its destinations share a broadly similar planning culture, social stability and relationship with nature. For cruise operators, this creates itineraries that are efficient to operate yet rich in content, without the growing friction associated with over-tourism. One of the Baltic’s defining strengths is easy access. Many ports are located close to city centres or directly integrated into small towns, allowing passengers to explore on foot rather than through long transfers. This reflects passenger preferences identified by Cruise Lines International Association, which show growing satisfaction with ports offering walkability, easy access and authentic local environments. Whether in larger cities such as Helsinki, Tallinn or Stockholm, or in smaller destinations like Kotka and Kalmar, proximity and immediacy play a central role in shaping the shore experience.
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Originally published on 26 Jan
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On 8 April, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) programme for the planned carbon dioxide (CO₂) transshipment terminal at the KN Energies site in Klaipėda, published by the Environmental Protection Agency, was temporarily suspended. The decision to suspend and review the EIA programme was taken by KN Energies itself.
The company intends to re-evaluate the proposed solutions for the terminal’s planned economic activity and, once this is completed, to resume the review of the EIA programme. It is expected that this will ensure a more comprehensive EIA analysis. Information about the revised EIA programme will be provided in accordance with the procedures laid down by legislation.
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Originally published on 17 Apr
Stenbock House, 8 April – At a meeting of the Eesti.ai council, 15 high-impact projects were approved, aimed at accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence in Estonia and strengthening the competitiveness of the country. According to Prime Minister Kristen Michal, the aim is to make Estonia one of the world’s leading implementers of artificial intelligence.
“Doctors, teachers, accountants, human resources specialists, musicians, translators, and many others will have more time to devote to meaningful work, learning, and interacting with people when they use artificial intelligence. Less time is spent searching for information, on paperwork, and on routine tasks. This also means more personal and family time,” said Michal.
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Originally published on 16 Apr
Outcraft AI, an agentic AI platform building autonomous revenue agents that execute real-time customer engagement across voice, SMS, email and WhatsApp, has raised €2 million in pre-seed funding from Practica Capital.
Outcraft AI is built around a simple but increasingly urgent reality: companies lose revenue every day not because of a lack of demand, but because sales follow-ups are not fast enough, consistent enough, or through the right channel.
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Originally published on 17 Apr
On April 15, in the framework of the German-Latvian Port Days in Hamburg, the Maritime Digital Innovation Demo Day took place, where innovative solutions – digital and autonomous technologies for port efficiency, safety and security – jointly created by Latvian and German partners were presented.
“What started with a visit and a signature is now becoming visible and tangible: this Demo Day shows how the partnership transforms into practical solutions. Hamburg and Riga combine technological excellence with a clear ambition to make our ports smarter, more efficient and future-ready. This is not about discussing innovations, but about implementing them together. In particularly challenging times, one thing is clear: those who work together move forward. Our partnership sends a powerful signal to the Baltic Sea region and to a strong, united Europe,” said Dr Melanie Leonhard, Minister for Economic Affairs, Labor, and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
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Originally published on 16 Apr
Neo Performance Materials Inc. (“Neo” or the “Company”) (TSX:NEO; OTCQX:NOPMF) today announced the successful commissioning of its heavy rare earth element (“HREE”) solvent extraction small-scale production line at its Silmet facility in Estonia. The solvent extraction line is operating at nameplate capacity, with efforts now focused on delivering stable product purity prior to transitioning to routine production capacity.
The operation has produced its first separated terbium and dysprosium process solutions, pre-cursor products for metal making, from mixed rare earth carbonate feedstock, with all processing completed entirely in Europe. This achievement validates the technical robustness and operational reliability of the Silmet HREE solvent extraction line under continuous operating conditions and marks a significant milestone in establishing advanced heavy rare earth separation capability in Europe.
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Originally published on 10 Apr
Stegra has agreed in principle on €1.4 billion in new financing from a combination of new and existing investors to complete the construction of its large-scale green steel plant in Boden, Sweden.
The financing round is led by Wallenberg Investments, which has formed a consortium of investors that will, through this transaction, take a leading position in Stegra. Alongside Wallenberg Investments, the consortium consists of Temasek and IMAS. Funding is further strongly supported by Stegra’s existing shareholders, including Altor who will be the second largest owner post-closing, as well as Hy24 and Just Climate. It is also supported, subject to credit approvals, by its senior and junior lenders. This provides Stegra with a fully funded path to complete the construction and commissioning of its green steel plant.
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Originally published on 14 Apr
According to preliminary data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), global foreign direct investment (FDI) increased by a total of 14% in 2025, to approximately USD 1.6 trillion globally. Growth is driven particularly by data center projects, which already account for more than a fifth of all greenfield investments globally. However, without data centers, the real growth rate would be only about 5%, which still indicates a challenging investment climate. In addition to data centers, the semiconductor industry was almost the only one with global growth. Investments related to semiconductors increased by 35% internationally.
In Finland, the volume of investments increased sharply after three years of decline. According to the monitoring of Invest in Finland, which operates as part of Business Finland, 527 investment projects of foreign companies were located in Finland in 2025, which is 160 more than in the previous year. Investment projects include new foreign companies established in Finland and further investments made by foreign-owned companies already operating in Finland. Foreign currency statistics for Finland will be obtained from Statistics Finland in September 2026.
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Originally published on 14 Apr
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €100 million to Finnish pharmaceutical company Orion Pharma to develop new treatments for cancer, pain and other serious conditions with few treatment options.
The financing will support Orion Pharma’s research and development activities across its European centres, covering personnel costs, clinical trials, patenting and investments in specialised laboratory equipment. By reinforcing Orion Pharma’s long-term R&D capacity, the EIB is helping strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in advanced biopharmaceutical innovation.
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Originally published on 15 Apr
Nordic energy company Gasum and shipping company Wasaline have extended their agreement for bio-LNG supply to continue through 2027. This agreement continues to strengthen the companies’ long-standing partnership.
It also underlines both companies’ commitment to developing cleaner maritime transport. Wasaline runs a carbon neutral shipping corridor between Finland and Sweden, as the company’s vessel Aurora Botnia uses batteries and biogas to operate the route. Gasum supplies the vessel with bio-LNG.
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Originally published on 13 Apr
Estonian-founded startup Handhold has closed a €3M seed round to scale its AI-powered platform that automates the entire inbound customer journey — from first website visit through to renewal.
The round was led by Entourage Capital, with participation from Inovia Capital and e2vc. The broader ecosystem also chiped in: notable angels include Bolt founder Markus Villig, former Twilio CTO Ott Kaukver, Wise CTO Harsh Sinha, and Verif founder Janer Gorohhov.
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Originally published on 13 Apr