Latvia's LVR Flote Joins Baltic Pilotage Emission Reduction Project

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On July 14, 2026, Latvian pilotage service provider LVR Flote has joined PILOTech, a three-year Baltic Sea regional project aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from pilot boats and promoting greener pilotage services.

The project is co-funded by the Interreg Central Baltic Sea Region Programme, with a total budget of €2.7 million, of which €2.2 million comes from EU funds, and is scheduled to be completed by the end of April 2029. Led by Tallinn University of Technology, the project partners include institutions from Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Sweden: LVR Flote, the Swedish Maritime Administration, the Estonian State Fleet, Finnpilot Pilotage Oy, and Novia University of Applied Sciences.

During the project, the partners will jointly research, test, and evaluate innovative low-emission technologies and operational solutions for pilot boats, reducing their carbon footprint while maintaining safe and efficient services. As part of its contribution, LVR Flote will deploy an integrated digital monitoring system to analyze pilot boat operational data, supporting more informed technical and operational decisions aimed at streamlining vessel operations and reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

The project also plans to facilitate knowledge exchange among pilotage service providers in Baltic countries and develop joint recommendations for more sustainable operations of shipping services in the Central Baltic Sea region. For the Port of Riga, improved efficiency of pilot boats will translate into lower emissions in port waters, thereby improving air quality for residents of Riga and surrounding communities.