Port of Tallinn eyes 2028 start for modern terminal A construction
Plans for a new Terminal A building at the Port of Tallinn are moving ahead, with the structure set to be built on the current parking lot in front of the existing terminal.
The terminal A currently serves Viking Line and Eckerö Line ferries traveling to Finland. The old terminal would be demolished after the new one is completed.
Riho Joala, head of development at the Port of Tallinn, said the detailed plan is currently being processed by the city. That process could be completed within a couple of months, after which the port would apply for a building permit. Construction could begin in 2028.
"The start of the development depends on when the terminal A detailed plan is approved," Joala said. "After that, the management board and supervisory board of the Port of Tallinn must make the investment decision."
The large-scale project is intended to transform the port area into a modern urban environment and open up more views of the sea. Joala said it is also important that both passengers and ferry operators receive equal treatment at the A and D terminals.
"Since the terminal D and its surrounding area have already been modernized, it is only natural that the terminal A and its surrounding urban space should also be updated and transformed into a more people-friendly area with a more modern architectural character," Joala added.
Delfi reported last summer that the port was also considering demolishing the Port Market building next to the terminal A. The building currently houses the Sadamaturg grocery store, including its SuperAlko section, the Kai café and facilities for the marina. The building was formerly the terminal C.
Joala said the future of that particular building remains undecided. No demolition or renovation work is planned in the coming years. He added that redevelopment of the site will be addressed through a separate detailed plan from the terminal A project, and preparing that plan will take longer.
"For the time being, the building will remain as it is," Joala said. "From a planning perspective, it forms part of the area surrounding Admiralty Basin. When that area eventually undergoes redevelopment, the entire immediate surroundings of Admiralty Basin will receive a new design solution. At that point, that building will also be renewed."
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Editor: Argo Ideon
Source: ERR Radio News
