International conference
Science and business innovations for the Baltic Sea  

The market of science and technologies is huge, dynamic and complicated. The differences of economic and technological potential in separate Baltic Sea region countries are also big. In order to induce regional cooperation, guarantee sustainable development of this sector in the Baltic Sea region and increase the compatibility of Baltic maritime sector, it is necessary to initiate closer cooperation among the Baltic regions in the development of innovation processes, induce skills when transferring the knowledge and best practice.

Objectives of the event

• The aim of the conference is to present to the public the guidelines of EU document under preparation ‘Strategy of the Baltic Sea’
• to get acquainted with Lithuanian action programme during the period of its chairmanship in the Council of the Baltic countries
• induce partnership implementing integrated EU maritime policy among national, science and studies institutions and business subjects
• present innovation projects and technologies created and implemented in the Baltic Sea region
• award the best projects submitted to the contest by handing over international awards Windrose.

In Lithuanian port-city there took place a three-part project which consisted of the Baltic Marine Innovations and Technologies exhibition, Baltic Marine Innovations conference – forum and international awards “Wind Rose” and it enjoyed great interest and success.

The intention of international business magazine JŪRA MOPE SEA, Klaipeda University studies and business association “Baltijos slėnis”(Baltic valley) and Klaipeda science and technologies park to unite science and business cooperation possibilities for the implementation of innovative ideas and showing the results of such a cooperation there was supported and maintained by the representative office of EU in Lithuania, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Education and Science and  Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania.

The event was dedicated to the Day of Europe and the European Maritime Day that was celebrated for the first time.

Authority, science, business and diplomatic powers – were in one rank

In the international conference “Baltic Marine Innovations Forum” the main guidelines of the document “Strategy of the Baltic Sea” to be included into EU document, acquaints with the action program of Lithuania during its chairmanship in the Baltic countries council, the factors were discussed inducing the partnership of countries during the implementation of EU integrated policy in the fields of science, studies and business.

Famous politicians, representatives of business and science made reports at the conference: Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Vygaudas Usackas, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania Eligijus Masiulis, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Igor Levitin, Deputy Minister of European Integration Committee of Poland Piotr Serafin, Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of Latvia Nils Freivalds, Director of the Directorate of European Territorial Cooperation Jose Palma Andres and many other representatives of other European politics, science and business.

“It was a significant and well-timed event against the background of newly opening possibilities of the Baltic Sea region cooperation. Its topic splendidly corresponds European and modern pulse of our regional cooperation, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Vygaudas Usackas opening the conference.- It is pleasant that the conference has connected  the common ranks of the representatives of authority, business, science and diplomats”.

V. Usackas stressed that Klaipeda - as one of the oldest Lithuanian cities, started its history in 1252. It is responsible for the image of Lithuania as a maritime state. It is impossible to over valuate the significance of Klaipeda port for the modern economic development of Lithuania. According to the last year results Klaipeda port became the third according to the cargo turnover among Eastern Baltic ports after Saint-Petersburg and Primorsk.

Lately tourist and pleasure shipping is rapidly developing and it helps Klaipeda to become an attractive place of meetings of people and their communication place. It is not accidental that Klaipeda port was chosen for the final phase of “The Tall Ships` Races” regatta.

“We are the witnesses of the strengthening cooperation among the regions in Europe. The Baltic Sea region is often called as the most dynamic European region and it is the leader of this process.  I have in mind EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea region. This Strategy is an internal EU document. But for the implementation of it we will need to closely cooperate with our neighbours, first of all with Russia and Belarus.  Therefore, it is splendid that  the Minister of Transport of the Russian federation Igor Levitin came to this conference”- said V. Usackas.

Speaking about the chairmanship at the Baltic Sea countries council, V. Usackas stressed that great attention should be paid for the cooperation in the fields of innovations, clean and safe environment, strengthening of human resources and cooperation on border-crossings and inducement of the free movement of people.

East-West direction was and will be interesting for business

Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania Eligijus Masiulis stressed in hi speech that the Government of Lithuania actively induces the economics of the country as well as quicker use of EU structural support.

„The latest tendencies of the Baltic Sea region internal trade open the increasing importance of East-West direction. Eastern Baltic countries more and more intensively get involved into those processes. The increase of cargo transportation volumes show,  that East-West direction is especially important for the trade of our region with external partners. I think that this direction will be one of the most important elements of the Baltic Sea region transport system. Those tendencies open huge possibilities for the Baltic Sea region to become peculiar gates for the trade flows from Asian countries. Nevertheless in order to become important players  in inter-modal Eurasian transport and logistics chains we are to induce the development of transport innovations and more actively implement the goals of inter-modal transport“,- said E. Masiulis.

Therefore, to his mind it is important to strengthen cooperation among the Baltic Sea countries. One of the examples of such a successful cooperation is East-West transport corridor, connecting via the Baltic Sea, Lithuania, Belarus and Russia to Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

There cooperate not only the state institutions but also business and scientific community. This corridor is one of the most important tools of the development of inter-modal transport in the Southern part of the Baltic Sea. Consequently extending its branches to the East direction it is possible to form a competitive transport and logistics chain between Europe and Asia. But together with increasing transport flows it is necessary to implement suitable environment protection standards and assure good living conditions for the population of the region. It is a challenge that all the countries are to take together. The Strategy of the Baltic Sea is an important step creating common guidelines of the policy. The Strategy will foresee measures how to support scientific research in the field of innovations and induce the application of innovations in the sustainable development of transport and maritime safety.

E. Masiulis stressed that in order to implement those tasks, innovations must be supported that induce the use of the potential of Short-Sea Shipping, development of Green transport corridors and contribute to other EU maritime transport policy goals.

From this point of view, the Northern Dimension Transport and Logistics partnership, which is under creation, promises a lot and it is going to include such important partners as Russia, Belarus and Norway.

Minister of Transport of the Russian federation Igor Levitin came to the conference accompanied by big delegation of the representatives of Russian science and business. He expressed his content concerning the changes in cooperation between Russia and Lithuania.  „I am pleasantly surprised by the fact how the intonations of our negotiations have changed. I see great common potential of cooperation in the fields of maritime transportations and tourism. The greater confidence the countries feel towards each other, the easier it will be to live for our citizens“,- said the Minister of Transport of Russia.

During the forum discussions the participants discussed the integration of the Baltic maritime sciences into European research field as well as present initiatives, further regional and European integration and financing of maritime sciences. The reports were made by the scientists of Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Norway and Germany.

More than 150 delegates of the conference, who came from 8 countries, adopted a resolution where they indicated concrete recommendations.