Tallink Grupp extends environmental partnership with John Nurminen Foundation to protect Baltic Sea

ESTONIA. Leading cruise-ferry and travel retail company Tallink Grupp has renewed its cooperation agreement with Finnish non-profit organisation the John Nurminen Foundation for 2025. The partnership reinforces its long-standing commitment to environmental protection and sustainability in the Baltic Sea region.

The renewed partnership will see €0.20 from the sale of every Captain’s chocolate bar onboard the company’s vessels donated to the foundation throughout 2025. The initiative is part of a broader collaboration – now in its third consecutive year – between the foundation and Tallink Grupp’s travel retail arm, Tallink Duty Free.

As reported, in 2024 the company contributed €20,000 to the John Nurminen Foundation through the sales of Captain’s chocolate bars onboard the Tallink Silja Line.

In previous years, donations were also generated through sales of other onboard branded products, including water bottles and chocolate bars.

The proceeds will support key environmental projects, including the Sea Too project (Meren puolella), which aims to restore underwater habitats in the Baltic Sea and foster more sustainable use of marine resources.

Another beneficiary is the Agri and Culture project in Southwest Finland, which aims to reduce nutrient runoff into the Archipelago Sea by collaborating closely with local agricultural stakeholders. This project also engages local communities to collect and preserve their memories and experiences.

Tallink Grupp’s collaboration with the John Nurminen Foundation dates to 2003, though the two organisations had worked together on various Baltic Sea conservation efforts prior to the formalised partnership.

Head of Tallink Duty Free Aimar Pärna said, “The Baltic Sea is very important to us at Tallink Grupp and keeping the sea clean and protecting its marine environment is at the heart of sustainable development in our core business.

“We are proud to be the first shipping company in the Baltic Sea region to receive the Sustainable Travel Finland label in 2020 and we are very committed to offering a responsible way of travelling to our customers onboard and onshore – from our fleet of vessels that emit -63.5% less CO2 emissions compared to 2008, to our Green Key-certified hotels; or the locally grown food we serve our customers onboard our vessels, including sustainably sourced and caught fish and seafood.

“We are constantly seeking new innovative technological solutions and working with our partners such as John Nurminen Foundation to continuously minimise our environmental impact.”

Pärna added, “We are pleased to continue our fruitful cooperation with John Nurminen Foundation whose efforts are focused on protecting our domestic sea and ensuring its sustainability with specific projects delivering tangible results. Our Tallink Silja Line customers are pleased to know that they too can help us make a difference for the Baltic Sea, when they choose to buy branded chocolate, knowing they will directly impact the donations we make to the foundation.

“This partnership is approved and supported by our Tallink Silja Line’s teams and the foundation presents its initiatives to our ships’ sales personnel every spring, where direct interaction between our teams helps to understand the environmental efforts of both parties.”

John Nurminen Foundation CEO Annamari Arrakoski-Engardt added, “The support of our partners, such as Tallink Duty Free, is extremely important to us. With their support we can implement effective projects in the entire catchment area of the Baltic Sea. In addition to financial support, the know-how provided by Tallink Grupp helps us to plan new projects related to the sustainable maritime sector.” Read More