Above: A prevention cover being installed. These covers prevent tonnes of dry bulk from entering the water.
Race For The Baltic is a Swedish non-governmental organization committed to combating the eutrophication of Baltic Sea waters. To maximize its impact, it collaborates with business owners to develop solutions that reduce phosphorus inflow into the Baltic Sea. The organization’s efforts encompass partner ships with port authorities, terminals, and stevedoring companies managing fertilizers, phosphate rock, grains, fodder, and other eutrophying materials in the Baltic Sea region.
It has introduced several innovative solutions to help terminal owners minimize pollution in port waters and along quaysides. One of the organization’s key innovations is the installation of prevention covers that bridge the gap between the quay and the ship’s side to prevent tonnes of dry bulk from entering the water. These covers have been successfully installed in Polish, Swedish, Lithuanian, and Danish ports. Some of them are complemented by recently financed self-unloading cradles. These cradles catch any dry bulk material that may fall, significantly reducing waste and saving valuable resources. Additionally, Race For The Baltic has invested in various cleaning machines and brushes to enable terminal owners to clean quaysides more effectively.
In May 2024, Race For The Baltic hosted a roundtable in Gdansk, Poland, uniting major stakeholders from Polish ports, including port authorities, terminals, maritime offices, the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure, and maritime media. This event focused on addressing the challenges associated with implementing pro-environmental changes in dry bulk fertilizer port handling. The outcome was the creation of the Catalogue of Best Practices and Technologies for Handling Dry Bulk Goods, a practitioner-developed document that outlines essential actions for ports to reduce material losses, promotes proper quays cleaning, and suggests the use of more developed technological solutions. Many leading Polish ports now use this Catalogue as a benchmark for environ - mental enhancements.
Race For The Baltic is actively engaged in educating port stakeholders about the environmental impact of dry bulk handling. In this context, they have presented their innovative solutions to port authorities, terminal operators, stevedoring companies, and crane operators across the Baltic Sea region. Its outreach extends to the most prominent ports, such as Klaipeda, Riga, Liepaja, Tallinn, Gdansk, Gdynia, Szczecin–Swinoujscie, Landskrona, and Vordingborg, as well as smaller ports involved in handling dry bulk goods. This educational initiative is crucial in fostering the widespread adoption of best practices and technologies that mitigate the environmental effects of port operations.
More recently, Race For The Baltic has launched a new project, continuing efforts to improve dry bulk handling practices in ports, focusing on grain and fodder. The project involves building relationships, providing education, and co-financing pro-environmental solutions at major grain terminals throughout the Baltic Sea region. Additionally, the organization is active participants in international efforts funded by the European Union. The PortSHAZ project, part of the Interreg South Baltic Programme, addresses environmental hazards associated with dry bulk cargo operations in ports of the region. Its primary objective is to develop and implement best practices and innovative technical solutions to reduce dry bulk cargo leakage, including designing a protection cover suitable for smaller ports, and promoting dust-free operations.