Maritime transport and threats to environmental safety have increased substantially on the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea. At the same time the positive economical effects of the growing traffic are more and more important to the area. The City of Kotka is located in South-Eastern Finland, which is bordered by the Baltic Sea and Russia. The City of Kotka is dedicated to promoting maritime transport and marine environmental safety by establishing and supporting a high-standard maritime research centre together with leading Finnish universities. Kotka Maritime Research Centre (KMRC) is a centre of expertise focusing on maritime transport, maritime safety and the marine environment. KMRC was established in 2005 and currently it forms a research unit of 30 persons.