The new port, which borders nature conservation areas, was subject to years of environmental assessments before the construction started back in 2003 and has been designed to meet both European Union and Finnish environmental concerns.

For this reason, the Commission intends to use the port’s construction as a benchmark for similar developments in Europe as a Commission official said at the inauguration ceremony.

ESPO has been reporting to the European Commission the need for more legal certainty for port development and a more practical approach on how to interpret EU environmental legislation. ESPO was pleased the Commission took this point into concern in its Ports Policy Communication of October 2007. The Commission is expected to publish a guidance document on the application of environmental legislation to port development early in 2009. ESPO is actively involved, together with other industries and NGO's in the drafting process of the guidance which in the end is expected to provide high practical value.

ESPO will hold its annual conference in 2010 in Helsinki and a visit to the new Vuosaari harbour will be scheduled in the programme.