Survey of maritime routes cultural heritage: Information base supports preservation of valuable sites
In 2024, Sweco carried out a comprehensive survey for the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency to assess the cultural heritage values of safety devices on Finland’s maritime routes. The survey provided the Agency with a unified information base to support decision-making.
Sweco’s experts in social and cultural environments conducted a nationwide survey of the cultural heritage values of safety devices on maritime routes. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency commissioned the project, which aimed to collect extensive information about safety devices from various parts of Finland’s coast and maritime areas.
Goal: A unified list of sites
There are various types of safety devices on maritime routes, and due to their large number, there was no comprehensive view of the values of these sites. The values were examined individually for structures, as well as part of a broader context locally and nationally. Individual structures were assessed for preservation, changes, representativeness, and uniqueness. The Agency aimed to compile data from different sources for evaluation and decision-making.
The project updated a unified valuation criteria and collected information on sites located on maritime routes, covering fixed safety devices built before 1950 and caisson lighthouses built before 1970.
“What makes this survey special is its scope: we collect information on sites across Finland’s maritime areas in a comparable format. This gives the Agency a better understanding of the cultural heritage values or the landscape significance associated with the sites,” say Sweco experts Heini Ynnilä and Dan Ronimus.
Unified information base eases decision-making
The project created a unified information base of different types of sites and regional characteristics. Titta Lehtola, project manager at the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, states:
“In this joint project, we establish a unified information base of different types of sites and regional characteristics. We better understand the cultural heritage values or landscape significances related to the sites. Based on the information and value assessments compiled in the survey, the Agency can designate new valuable sites on maritime routes. The survey also facilitates sharing information about the cultural heritage of maritime routes with stakeholders.”
As a result of the project, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency received a unified information base that eases decision-making and the designation of valuable sites. Compiling data from various sources and reviewing them according to unified criteria generates an understanding of the local, regional, and national values of the sites.
The Agency has a legal obligation to preserve and maintain culturally and historically valuable sites in its possession, such as properties, cultural environments, and cultural assets. With the cultural heritage survey, the Agency can more effectively preserve the culturally and historically valuable sites in its possession, which supports regional attractiveness and appreciation of cultural and historical sites.