Port of Victoria takes lead in sustainable port development |17 May 2025

Guests in a souvenir photograph after the signing ceremony

The Seychelles Ports Authority and the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) has signed a memorandum of understanding to collaboratively advance the greening of Port Victoria, marking a major step forward in sustainable maritime development across the Indian Ocean.

Under this partnership, Port of Victoria is set to join the world’s pioneering ports, setting standards and best practices for sustainable port operations, positioning itself as a regional leader and a global model for other small island developing states (SIDS) pursuing climatesmart, resilient port strategies.

“This partnership highlights our commitment to pioneering sustainable development in port operations,” said Sony Payet, chief executive of the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA).

“With RISE and Sweden’s experience, Port Victoria will serve as a lighthouse example in the region and for island nations globally,” he reiterated.

The collaboration will be guided by the Swedish Concept for Sustainable Ports – a comprehensive framework co-created by Sweden’s 52 official ports, orchestrated by RISE, Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg. This concept will inform the strategic direction of Port Victoria’s development in parallel with SPA’s substantial investments in modernising and expanding its port infrastructure. Port of Helsingborg and Kvarken Ports Umeå in Sweden will act as reference ports for Port Victoria in Seychelles.

“Port Victoria has an opportunity to become a catalyst for sustainable transformation in the maritime sector,” said Dr Mikael Lind, Senior Strategic Research Advisor at RISE. He continued to explain that “by leveraging the Swedish Concept for Sustainable Ports, we are confident that this initiative will inspire actionable change far beyond Seychelles.”

The outgoing ambassador for Sweden to Seychelles, Caroline Vicini, underscored that Port Victoria’s commitment to greening its operations supported by the Swedish expertise, showcases the kind of forward-thinking partnerships that are essential for addressing global environmental challenges. “This collaboration is a strong example of how Sweden and Seychelles can work together to promote sustainable development and innovation,” she reaffirmed.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) focuses on strategic guidance, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and pilot initiatives that will underpin this transformation. The agreement is valid through December 2030. “This partnership exemplifies how international cooperation and innovation can drive real impact in addressing global sustainability challenges,” said Malin Frenning, chief executive of RISE.

“By applying the Swedish Concept for Sustainable Ports – developed through the collective strength of Sweden’s 52 official ports – we are proud to support the Port of Victoria in becoming a model for climate-smart port development among small island developing states,” emphasised Mrs Frenning.

In his remarks the Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, said that the greening of Port Victoria is not only vital for the future of the maritime sector of Seychelles, but also a testament to our broader commitment to sustainability and climate resilience.

“This partnership with Sweden, through RISE, brings global innovation to our shores and strengthens our role as a regional leader in sustainable transport,” highlighted Minister Derjacques.

Note that the minister met with Dr Lind during his official mission in Barbados, in May 2024, where he invited him to come to Seychelles. Seychelles will be the first SIDS to fully develop a green port and ensure sustainable operations. The signing of the MoU took place at the SPA head office at Commercial Port in the presence of Ambassador Vicini; representatives of the Swedish embassy in Kenya; the principal secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, David Bianchi; key stakeholders and staff of the SPA.

RISE is Sweden’s state-owned research institute, serving as a key innovation partner to Swedish industry and society. It coordinates national and international collaborations in fields such as sustainable transport, maritime logistics, and digital transformation.

Contributed