Residents troubled by derelict ship port in Loviisa

Abandoned vessels and a history of drug smuggling have made Isnäs port in Loviisa a persistent concern for local residents, reports Yle.

The port, located in a remote area near the 500-person village of Isnäs, has long hosted derelict ships, including the recently arrived M/S Tampere, which was turned away from other ports. Mia Aitokari, chair of the Isnäs village committee, said the port has been a source of frustration for locals.

“The port was in terrible condition just ten years ago. It has since been cleaned up a lot. I’m saddened by what it is now and what it could be,” Aitokari said.

The port’s history includes ties to a major drug smuggling operation. In 2011, two barrels of hashish linked to the Jari Aarnio drug ring were brought to Isnäs from the Netherlands. Local entrepreneur Peter Fagerholm, who had a workshop at the port, was later convicted for his role in the case. He told Yle’s MOT program in 2014 that he had unknowingly accepted the barrels, realizing only later they contained drugs.

Aitokari was also questioned by police during the investigation, as the village committee owns areas of the port through which all vehicle traffic passes. However, residents had no knowledge of the illegal activity.

Nearby Kabböle port, about 15 kilometers away, was once a hub for alcohol smuggling during Prohibition in the 1930s. Its remote location and complex archipelago made it ideal for evading authorities, according to Aitokari.

The port was once a major employer, with a sawmill and other industrial activity, but is now largely abandoned, littered with derelict ships and debris. Environmental concerns have also arisen from past shipbreaking activities, including the 2018 dismantling of a floating dock that had used toxic paints, with waste often washed into the sea.