Saimaa, Finland

Finnish Government proposes 90 million € for extending Saimaa locks

The Finnish Government has agreed on the budget proposal for 2021.

During the project, the locks will be extended by 11 metres by renewing and transferring the upper gates of the locks. The Saimaa Canal will also be developed by raising the water level. Government’s proposal provides a favourable environment for a new fleet.

“In addition to the climate recovery package agreed in June, we have now decided on three further transport infrastructure projects to promote sustainable and smooth transport systems and services,” says Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.

The new projects are distributed equally between different modes of transport: road, rail and waterway transport.

A budget authority of EUR 90 million is proposed for extending the locks of the Saimaa Canal. The goal of the project is to promote the operating environment for water transport in the Saimaa Canal and the Lake Saimaa and to reduce transport costs by allowing longer vessels in the Saimaa Canal and the deep-water channel network up to the ports of Varkaus and Joensuu. In the project, the locks will be extended by 11 metres by renewing and transferring the upper gates of the locks. The Saimaa Canal will also be developed by raising the water level. A budget authority of EUR 5 million was granted for this project in the fourth supplementary budget for 2020.

“The development of the Saimaa Canal is of utmost importance for the whole of Eastern Finland, as it provides the business and industry in the region with cost-effective and environmentally friendly means of transport. I hope that this will also have a positive impact on employment in the region in the future. By providing a favourable environment for a new fleet, we are also protecting the nationally important nature of Lake Saimaa,” says Minister Harakka.

Source: Press release: Government budget session: Investments in road, rail and water transport projects (https://www.lvm.fi/en/-/government-budget-session-investments-in-road-rail-and-water-transport-projects-1229705)