Bringing together forests, ports and farms to explore shared sustainability goals across the South Baltic region
On 22 September 2026, partners of eight Interreg South Baltic projects gathered in Palanga, Lithuania, for Green Forests, Green Ports, Green Farms — Palanga Cooperation Day 2026. Organised to mark Interreg Cooperation Day, the event provided an opportunity to strengthen connections between projects and exchange perspectives on sustainability, environmental responsibility and cross-border cooperation.
The programme combined a guided forest bathing walk through Palanga’s pine forests with presentations of the participating projects and informal networking. Under the shared theme of “8 projects, one shoreline”, the gathering connected initiatives working across three key areas: forests and wellbeing, ports and clean energy, and farms, bioeconomy and tourism.
DigiTechPort2030 and the green transition of ports
DigiTechPort2030 was represented within the Ports & Clean Energy theme, alongside the DeCoInter and PortSHAZ projects. These initiatives share an interest in supporting the decarbonisation of ports and cargo operations across the South Baltic region.
DigiTechPort2030 focuses on improving the knowledge and capacity of small and medium-sized ports to implement decarbonisation measures and advance the green transition. By combining expertise from academia, industry and policy, the project supports the exploration and implementation of green technologies and digital solutions for more sustainable port operations.
Cooperation with other projects and stakeholders is an important part of this process. Exchanges across sectors provide opportunities to share experience, identify common challenges and explore approaches that can support the long-term sustainability of the South Baltic region.
Cooperation for a more sustainable South Baltic region
The Palanga meeting highlighted the value of connecting projects that address different aspects of the green transition. From the wellbeing benefits of forests to clean-energy solutions for ports and renewable-energy approaches in farming, the participating initiatives contribute complementary perspectives to a shared regional ambition.
Events such as this also demonstrate the importance of building relationships beyond individual project activities, creating opportunities for continued dialogue and collaboration across borders.
DigiTechPort2030 welcomes these opportunities to engage with the wider Interreg South Baltic community and contribute to ongoing cooperation towards greener, more resilient coastal regions.
The eight participating projects are co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021–2027.