Tartu short on mooring spots for small boats

The Estonian city of Tartu is facing a shortage of mooring spots for small boats on the Emajõgi river. A study commissioned by the city found that the current approximately 400 available spots are insufficient and that the number needs to nearly double.

Boat owner Andre Purve told the news program "Aktuaalne Kaamera" that securing a spot in Tartu is not easy and sometimes comes down to luck. Most existing spots at the Jõe and Rebase harbours are limited to narrower boats, meaning wider modern boats must be moored at Karlova harbour, where 40 people are already on a waiting list. Twenty more spots are planned there next spring, but even then 20 people would remain without a place.

There are no free spots at the city-owned Rebase harbour either. Spots are also full at the nearby Luunja harbour and at the Jõeääre harbour in Haaslava, where 50 additional spots are planned next spring on top of the current 29.

Past plans and future direction

Several years ago, new mooring spots were planned near Emajõe street, but according to Tartu deputy mayor Kertu Vuks, the plan failed due to opposition from local residents, and the training needs of a rowing club also had to be taken into account.

Vuks said the area near the market currently looks like the most promising option for the future, and the city is now initiating detailed planning for a harbour for larger vessels near the Ihaste bridge.

Meanwhile, boat owners in the Sillamäe... actually the Sijli neighbourhood are ready to solve the shortage themselves, expressing interest in building their own private dock on the river. Purve said they still need to contact the Environmental Board, the Transport Board and the city government, which issue the relevant permits, and to gather a group of interested people willing to invest both time and money. Vuks said the plan is still at an early stage, so it is not yet clear whether building a dock in the Sijli neighbourhood will be possible.