The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the expansion of the Länsisatama Oy harbour in Helsinki and the harbour tunnel has been completed.
The expansion of the western harbour and the construction of the harbour twin tube tunnel - length between 1,433 m and 2,012 m - are key elements of the development programme for the Port of Helsinki, which aims to concentrate traffic from Tallinn in the western harbour and to free up areas in the city's southern harbour for other uses, such as the Museum of Architecture and Design. The port tunnel will also allow for more efficient transport and improve competitiveness in the business sector.
According to the reasoned conclusion of the ELY Centre (Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) in Uusimaa, which acted as the evaluating authority, all of the project options assessed were sufficiently thoroughly examined with regard to the measures to be implemented in the port area.
Finland has a total of 15 ELY centres, which are responsible for promoting regional competitiveness, welfare, sustainable development and curbing climate change.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) - that has just been completed - considered three different alignment options for the port tunnel: after discarding option C due to its low benefits, options A and D remained and are still in the planning stage.
The harbour tunnel will improve the quality of the existing habitat
Tunnel option A - from the point of view of traffic during the construction phase – has been assessed as the most feasible option.
The ELY Centre considers that the flow of traffic on the western motorway should be the starting point for planning not only within the project area, but also outside it.
According to the ELY Centre's assessment, the realisation of option A will also require mitigation of its impact on nature. It will be necessary to protect the habitat of the common flying squirrel, the cuckoo, the axe-winged bat, skylarks and finches inhabiting the area.
Option D was assessed by the ELY Centre as having a lower environmental impact. The main challenges of this option are related to the Helen oil caverns in Salmisaari, as the tunnel would require the lifting of an excavation ban in the area. It would also require the decommissioning of the oil caverns before the tunnels are built, as the caverns cannot be used during construction for safety reasons. However, fuel storage capacity must be available in the area throughout the project in order to provide for contingencies. Therefore, prior to the construction of Tunnel D, a replacement storage solution for light fuel oil should be secured in the area, and extensive studies and planning should be carried out, including ventilation, cleaning and additional rock reinforcement of the oil caverns: this could be done only after the caverns have been emptied and would take years.
Once completed, the port tunnel will improve the quality of the living environment around Jätkäsaari, Eteläsatama and Katajanokka. According to the assessment, the environment characteristics will be preserved in all the options assessed.
The choice of the port tunnel option will be promoted in spring 2024
The aim is for the Port of Helsinki and the City of Helsinki to make a choice on the tunnel option during spring 2024. The choice will be influenced by timing, costs, risks, impacts on the exploitation of land use potential and the acceptability of environmental impacts.
After that, the proposal for the port tunnel's zoning plan will be submitted to the Helsinki City Environment Committee for approval in late 2024 and will be submitted to the City Council for decision in 2025.
Click fi/31 for tunnelbuilder tenders archive and also visit https://www.portofhelsinki.fi/. 12/24.
