Helsinki to remove unauthorised boats from Lauttasaari beaches

The City of Helsinki will remove all the abandoned boats left on the beaches of Lauttasaari without a permit during the summer, said the city in a press release on Monday.

The city will start to attach removal notices to the boats at the end of April.

After receiving the removal notice, the owner has one month to move the boat to an authorised mooring spot.

After this one-month period, the boat will be considered abandoned property.

If the owner cannot be found, the boats will be disposed of or auctioned.

The City will remove the abandoned boats during the summer. Boats in poor condition will be taken to be processed as waste.

The boats still in working condition will be kept for three months, after which they will be auctioned.

If the boat has been taken into storage and the owner wants it back, they need to pay the transport and storage costs.

Broken boats left to rot on beaches are not only an eyesore but also a risk to the environment.

For example, a fibreglass boat produces microplastic and glass chips that end up in aquatic organisms and fish. Abandoned vessels can also cause difficult oil spills.

Beaches cleaned up together with boat owners

The removal of damaged boats and vessels left in unauthorised places is primarily the responsibility of their owners.

In previous years, the City has cleaned up abandoned boats in eastern Helsinki in Kivinokka, Tammisalo and Reposalmi.

The owners themselves have taken care of the disposal of most of the boats after receiving the removal notice.