Kvarken Ports was founded at the beginning of 2015 combining the ports of Umeå and Vaasa as a single joint venture. The aim of this co-operation is to develop the ports’ market position in the Baltic Sea trade. Kvarken Ports is also aiming to attract attention as a high-quality and environmentally friendly port pair. Kvarken Ports is a limited liability company jointly owned by Umeå Kummunföretag in Sweden and the city of Vaasa in Finland. To meet future demands for transport, Umeå and Vaasa are jointly building a completely new port and transport concept. The new port company constitutes a very important part in the east-west and north-south transport route that merges in the Kvarken region.