Sorting it out – a look at a master’s thesis on cruise ship waste management

The Baltic Sea region is a highly delicate and rich ecosystem. It is also one of the world’s busiest shipping zones in the world, with daily traffic involving up to 2000 vessels, making it paramount for everyone involved to keep an eye out for eco-friendly solutions.

Irina Svaetichin, a fresh baked master of science at the University of Helsinki, took it upon herself to answer the question whether an updated cruise ship waste management system can be introduced in the area.
Growing up in the Finnish archipelago, with a seaman as a father, it is no wonder that the welfare of the marine environment has always been of great importance to Irina Svaetichin.

Throughout her studies at the Department of Geoscience and Geography at the University of Helsinki and later on in her professional career, she never left the significance of environmental protection out of her sight. Her deep connection to the sea made it an ever-present element of her life.

Svaetichin’s master’s thesis, “Cruise ship generated waste in the Baltic Sea”, aimed to investigate whether it is possible to introduce a new waste handling system in the ports of the Baltic Sea. The system currently in place requires passenger vessels to discharge all the waste produced since the last port of call at their next stop.

Its goal is to ensure even distribution of waste streams between ports, which at present, is not the case. As ship owners constantly search for the easiest and most affordable solution, special fractions of waste are already being discharged in specifically chosen ports.

According to Svaetichin’s study, it led the ports to specialize in receiving and handling special types of waste fractions. This situation could be used to the ports’ advantage, by further strengthening their focus on handling particular types of waste. In order to achieve this, ports would be required to closely cooperate with each other and share their expertise.

Since environmental awareness is already a key part of their image, ports are most likely eager to take innovative solutions under consideration.

The thesis also shows that up until this point only little research has been conducted on the topic at hand and further studies are certainly needed.

A smart and innovative approach to environmental issues in the Baltic Sea region has always been one of the key points on the Baltic Ports Organization’s (BPO) agenda. The BPO acknowledges the importance  of academic papers committed to said issues and maintains a great interest in ambitious projects promising to benefit all parties involved in the maritime transport in the region. The BPO looks forward to updates on the above research and wishes Irina all the best in her future endeavors.

The master’s thesis can be accessed under the following link.

For more information please contact:
Irina Svaetichin
irina.svaetichin@gmail.com