SEABAS Consortium Meeting in Tallinn Takes Important Steps Forward

The SEABAS partners came together in sunny Tallinn, Estonia, last week for one and a half productive days of collaboration. Hosted by the University of Tartu, with support from the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, the meeting provided a valuable opportunity to take forward the project’s key activities.

As the first in-person meeting following the project kick-off, the consortium meeting focused on Work Package 1 and its five activities, from which two deliverables are scheduled for publication in June 2026.

The Foundation of SEABAS Deliverables: The Scoping Report

One of the first deliverables to be published is the Scoping Report, which sets the foundation for the project. The Scoping Report compiles and analyses Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) practices from both ongoing and previous projects on maritime spatial planning. During the meeting, Professor Jacek Zaucha from the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences and Senior Specialist Jakub Turski from Gdynia Maritime University guided partners through the report, including key elements that lay the foundation for SEABAS’s next steps, such as approaches, methods, data, tools, and existing knowledge and gaps.

A framework on Cumulative Impact Assessment Implementation further developed in workshops

SEABAS aims to incorporate Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA) to support Strategic Environmental Assessment in maritime spatial planning. As the other deliverable to be published in June, the methodological framework was one of the key topics to further developed during the meeting. This included two interactive workshops led by the University of Tartu, the lead partner for this deliverable, focusing on the implementation of Cumulative Impact Assessment within Strategic Environmental Assessment processes. The partners worked together to refine and strengthen integration of Cumulative Impact Assessment into the maritime spatial planning processes. The next step will be to test the framework in pilot studies carried out in Finland and Latvia.

Both deliverables, the Scoping Report and the Operationalization of Cumulative Impact Assessment in maritime spatial planning, are progressing as expected and will be published in June. These deliverables will form the foundation for the next phase of work within the project.

Both deliverables, the Scoping Report and the Operationalization of Cumulative Impact Assessment in maritime spatial planning, are progressing as expected and will be published in June. These deliverables will form the foundation for the next phase of work within the project.

Coming up: Work Package 1 Deliverables And Related Workshops

In addition to the two deliverables to be published soon, the partners also discussed the two remaining deliverables under Work Package 1, which will be finalised  by December 2026. Environmental Expert Kristina Veidemane from the Baltic Environmental Forum Latvia presented the deliverable Guidance for Strategic Environmental Assessment procedure, discussing it from a practical perspective and its potential on aligning with the EU Nature Restoration Law. An online workshop “Restoration of Marine Ecosystems: Doing More or Doing It Wisely? Role of MSP and SEA”, for interested stakeholders and the project partners, will take place on 16 June, with more information to follow.

Project Manager Janica Borg from lead partner HELCOM discussed one of the most valuable outputs from SEABAS, an extension to the online Navigator hub. The extension consists of a toolkit to support Strategic Environmental Assessment implementation in maritime spatial planning for spatial planners. The toolkit will focus on tools used for Strategic Environmental Assessment and Cumulative Impact Assessment at both national and regional levels, and improve user experience and practical applicability of the tools.

Biodiversity Officer Andrea Cervantes and Intern Tekla Holmlund from Coalition Clean Baltic presented work on the compilation of best‑practice consultation approaches, contributing to several SEABAS deliverables. An online Best Practises Consultation workshop, organized by Coalition Clean Baltic, will take place on 27 May, with further details to be shared soon.

The Work Continues

In-person meetings on international projects are rare, and therefore very valuable. The consortium meeting proved to be both productive and inspiring, and was characterized by a warm and constructive atmosphere. Special thanks to our hosts, the University of Tartu and the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, and to all the partners for their continued efforts to strengthen and unify environmental input into maritime spatial planning processes across the Baltic Sea region.

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