Oil spill risk in the Gulf of Finland at record high as foundation plans coastal protection upgrades

A permanent oil boom anchoring system will be installed along the eastern Gulf of Finland to improve emergency response capabilities, as the risk of a major oil spill in the region has reached unprecedented levels, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The project, led by the John Nurminen Foundation—which focuses on Baltic Sea protection—will see metal rings bolted into coastal bedrock and islands from Pyhtää to Virolahti. These rings will allow authorities to rapidly deploy floating barriers to contain oil spills. The initiative is carried out in cooperation with the Kymenlaakso Rescue Department, the Finnish Border Guard, and the state-owned Metsähallitus, which manages the affected national park areas.

Record-high risk factors
Annamari Arrakoski-Engardt, CEO of the John Nurminen Foundation, cited multiple factors elevating the threat level: increased oil transport by Russia’s shadow fleet, disruptions to maritime navigation systems, and Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil ports in the Gulf of Finland. The eastern Gulf of Finland National Park, located closest to Russian oil terminals, contains particularly vulnerable ecosystems, making it a priority for the project.

“A major spill would cover the entire Finnish coast in days”
Current preparedness plans account for a spill of up to 30,000 tonnes of oil, according to Teemu Veneskari, chief of rescue services in Kymenlaakso. A simulation by Tallinn University of Technology showed that such a spill near Helsinki would spread along Finland’s entire coastline within days. While rescue services currently have legal authority to install temporary anchoring points during emergencies, Veneskari emphasized that pre-installed rings will significantly speed up response times.

The exact locations of the rings will not be disclosed publicly, but they will be distributed across three strategic lines. Installation will avoid bird nesting seasons, with site surveys underway.

Funding and future expansion
The foundation will launch a €300,000 public fundraising campaign on Wednesday to cover costs for rings, tools, fuel, and other marine rescue operations. If successful, the project may expand westward toward Helsinki—where a similar system already exists—and eventually to high-risk private island areas, pending landowner permissions.

The Finnish government has allocated €2.5 million in supplementary funding for rescue services’ oil spill equipment, including potential ice-capable response vessels and winter-operable recovery gear. Installation in the eastern Gulf of Finland is expected to conclude this summer.