SEASTOP enables infrastructure investment in 18 small ports in the Stockholm/Åland/Turunmaa archipelago. The main common challenge is to develop and broaden tourism and overnight stays by upgrading the service levels in the ports.

In order to make ports more attractive to visitors these challenges will be addressed by the various work packages. The work packages are based on the assessment of the visitor requirements that has been carried out in workshops with all local port operators through a bottom-up process. Priority is given to the most needed investments, taking into account the Central Baltic programme target values and result indicators. The cross-border approach enables the members to develop joint marketing and joint upgraded standards of quality for port services and safety. SEASTOP is related to the long joint history of the archipelago islands in the Central Baltic area.  Many of the ports were traditional stopover places on the “King Valdemar’s sailing route" in the 13th century. SEASTOP is now engaging 5 experienced and financially strong project partners and 21 existing small ports in Sweden, Finland and the Åland islands. Apart from the partners, Stockholm County Administrative Board, Government of Åland and the municipalities of Österåker and Norrtälje will co-finance the project.

The planned investments will lead to around 550 meters of new floating jetties, upgraded environmentally sustainable facilities, such as water, toilets, electricity, showers, saunas, boat toilet discharge systems and waste recycling. The project will, amongst other things, lead to the development of 300 new mooring places and new water and sewage systems. The investments will transform the participating ports into attractive stops, as well as enhance regional economy and mobility.