These messages have been prepared in collaboration with Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonian Maritime Cluster, and maritime companies in the spring of 2024. A total of 8 sector-specific message packages have been created to support Estonian companies in exporting, Maritime being one of them.

As part of this project, the Maritime Industry includes shipping, ports, shipbuilding and repair, maritime manufacturing, technology and energy, maritime service and brokerage and ICT and cyber security in the sector as per the classification established by the Estonian Maritime Cluster.

Gateway to maritime excellence 

Environmentally sustainable, innovative, and secure marine economy for ambitious business ideas, with a focus on tailor-made solutions.

Estonia is a transformative force in the global maritime sector, leading the industry towards a more sustainable and technologically advanced future. 

The ease of doing business in a fully digital economy, coupled with Estonia’s compact ecosystem, favourable taxation, and highly qualified maritime companies creates the perfect environment for sustained innovation. With over 2,200 islands and nearly 4,000 kilometres of coastline, our solutions are based on centuries-long maritime expertise. 

By integrating smart technologies into the maritime sector, Estonia leads the way in producing vessels and maritime solutions that are not only of the highest quality but also environmentally conscious. This commitment to green technologies aligns with global sustainability goals and makes Estonia a gateway to responsible maritime practices, such as offering remoted controlled fairlead locking systems, SPS technology and methanol superstorage. This puts us in a position to help global maritime companies from engineering to ship building achieve them, too. 

Close collaboration and knowledge exchange between equipment suppliers, research institutions, and innovative startups keep Estonia at the cutting edge of the smart revolution, enabling us to offer highly complex and custom-made solutions. 

Supportive facts
  • 4000 kilometres of coastline.
  • 222 harbors, marinas, and cargo ports with capacity to host vessels weighing up to 220 000 gt.
  • 2 500 registered seafarers.
  • 500 maritime companies exporting, ranging from software and manufacturing to modern shipbuilding, complex maritime and offshore projects.
  • 4 higher education programs at the TalTech Maritime Academy for multi-level education and professional research on marine sciences and related fields, make it the only competence center of its kind in the region.
Sector strenghts
  • High level of ICT competence and a fully digitised business environment helping you to get straight to business.
  • Commitment to green shipping corridors and retrofit hubs in the Baltic Sea.
  • Highly skilled and innovative industry that enables efficient and flexible testing of new solutions and manufacturing technologies.
  • Fast-tracking offshore wind farm projects with the goal of becoming the largest producer of wind energy per capita in the world.

Maritime sustainability through innovation

Estonia is a gateway to responsible maritime practices, committed to green technologies and global sustainability goals. 

Estonia is committed to maritime sustainability through high-quality manufacturing, complex maritime and offshore projects, and helping maritime companies trade more sustainably. We are producing technologies to drive maritime safety, emission reduction, and smartification, including smart ship design and smart port technologies. Estonia is well-positioned to support global maritime companies to meet their environmental targets, as major part of our maritime sector’s business volume comes directly from the green transition.

Ease of trade

Business-friendly on every step of the way – we offer excellent infrastructure, favourable taxation, and functional innovation. 

Estonia is one of the most business-friendly countries in the world due to our straightforward regulatory framework and revolutionary e-services. Presently, 98% of all companies are established and 98% of taxes are declared online. Our capacious ports offer convenient infrastructure, great nearshoring opportunities, smooth processes, and an innovative business environment – all backed by new technologies that make trading easy. We work flexibly, deliver high-quality results, and offer favourable taxation, ensuring a smooth international trading experience. Our open and stable economy is characterised by adaptability, speed and innovation. 

One-stop shop for complex services

Tailormade solutions from Northern Europe.

Estonia has expertise in both standardised and highly customised solutions, our maritime companies are able to offer complex services to meet the demands of the industry. Located on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, we provide hassle-free ship equipment repairs, restoration, and retrofitting of maritime equipment. To meet international sustainability standards and improve vessel competitiveness, we offer services such as engine upgrades, installation of emission reduction systems, and integration of energy-efficient technologies.