Towards a Baltic Sea Region Strategy in Critical ... - Helsinki.fi

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION
In addition to the increasing oil and cargo transportation traffic, the Gulf of
Finland is burdened by heavy passenger traffic, especially between Helsinki,
Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia (Figure 4). In 2005, this traffic comprised 40,000
vessels (HELCOM 2006b), including both passenger and freight transport. The
criss-crossing traffic of oil transports and passenger traffic in the Gulf of Finland
constitutes a big challenge for the surrounding countries, both in the western part
of the Gulf of Finland, with traffic lanes from Finland, Estonia and Russia (Figure
5), and in the eastern part closer to Russia where traffic from St. Petersburg /
Primorsk and Vyborg / Vysotsk exits and enters the main traffic lane of the gulf
(Figure 6).
Figure IV—5 Maritime traffic through the entrance to the Gulf of Finland 2006.
148 NORDREGIO REPORT 2007:5