The Liepaja SEZ Authority completes implementation of the project "Rehabilitation Works of the Historically Contaminated Sites at the Karosta Canal of the Port of Liepaja"

April 30, 2024, may be marked as a date when the Liepaja SEZ Authority completed implementation of the project “Rehabilitation Works of the Historically Contaminated Sites at the Karosta Canal in the Port of Liepaja”, which was financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 programme ”Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Environment" with the aim of reducing the negative impact of the historically polluted
sediments of the Karosta Canal on the environment, human health and the ecological state of the Baltic Sea. In order to ensure the achievement of the project goals, during the implementation of the project, the Liepaja SEZ Authority cooperated with the project partners - the Norwegian Water Research Institute and the association “Baltijas krasti”. The experience of the partners was essential to achieve the project objectives. 

Karosta Canal is an artificial canal, constructed at the end of 19 th century for the needs of the Russian imperial navy fleet. Starting from the second half of 20 th century for 50 years this territory was a closed zone, used by the military navy force of the Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics, which were active in Latvia until their demobilization in 1994.  During this period the Canal was exploited without considering the possible negative impact on the surrounding
environment. As a result of the improper administration, the toxic pollution that got into the environment (oil products and heavy metals) have accumulated in the sediments of Canal seabed, causing essential ecological threat to the Baltic Sea environment quality.  

Liepaja SEZ CEO Uldis Hmieļevskis: “The rehabilitation works of the Karosta Canal are an important contribution to the improvement of the environmental quality not only of the Port of Liepaja, but also of the entire city and the region, where every removed cubic meter of historically polluted sediments reduces further pollution of the Baltic Sea environment. The Liepaja SEZ Authority will continue not only to monitor the soil data and improve the environmental status of the Karosta Canal to ensure the marine ecological diversity and dynamism, cleanliness, health, and productivity in marine environments. Special thanks to the project partners, who made a significant contribution, ensuring the transfer of international experience and improving the social awareness with regard to the implementation of the historical pollution remediation works at the Karosta Canal.”

• As part of the project, the following activities have been implemented in the period from August 1, 2021: 145 thousand cubic meters of historically contaminated sediments containing 298 tons of hazardous chemicals were removed from the seabed and moved to the deposit site;

• sustainable Karosta Canal monitoring network was established.

   

  Let`s work together for a green Europe!

  The project was financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 programme “Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Environment”. The total cost of the project was EUR 4,737,722.26, of which EUR 4,027,063.92 was financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism.