On Friday, October 10, 2025, representatives of the city, partners and guests gathered at the construction site of the Narva-Jõesuu pier to participate in a solemn ceremony, where a time capsule – a symbolic marker of the beginning of a new development phase in the region – was placed.
Speeches were delivered by Maksim Ilijn, Mayor of Narva-Jõesuu, Piret Hartman, Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party, Andres Anvelt, an expert on security, Marko Pomerants, an entrepreneur and former politician, Tamara Lisjanskaja, who played an important role in the construction of the old pier, and Margus Vaim, a member of the board of Infragreen OÜ, the main contractor.
In his speech, Mayor Maksim Ilyin stressed that the construction of the pier is not just a technical undertaking, but part of a broader vision to create better opportunities for the use of the sea and river waterways and to promote entrepreneurship. “Through the realisation of the pier project, we are opening a new, hitherto unattainable page in the development of Narva-Jõesuu – we are opening the city’s gates to Europe,” said Ilijn.
Andres Anvelt highlighted the importance of cooperation and preparedness, noting that a secure and well-planned infrastructure is the basis of community strength. “The trusting partnership of a stable, goal-oriented municipality with the state made the revival of the historic Narva-Jõesuu pier possible. The new pier is an achievement not only for Narva-Jõesuu, but also for the entire region and the Estonian state, of which we can be proud,” said Anvelt.
Margus Vaim, who spoke on behalf of the main contractor, confirmed that the company’s goal is to build a durable infrastructure that will serve both the city and the entire Ida-Viru waterway network for decades.
“We want the new mule to be safe, environmentally friendly and durable even in harsh weather conditions. Our aim is to combine modern engineering with the needs of the local community to ensure safe access to the waterways and to create a new quality and value for the port area.” said Vaim.
A letter with a message for future generations, two newspapers – one from today and the other from the time of the signing of the construction contract, as well as a jubilee coin “Estonian Book 500”, a position plan of the pier construction project, this press release, and a letter from the children of Narva-Jõesuu Yacht Club and the club pennant were placed in the time capsule that was the centrepiece of the ceremony. The Police and Border Guard Board also placed a message for future generations on the capsule, emphasising the importance of security and cooperation in the development of waterways..
The installation of the time capsule was attended by young people from the yacht club, together with the mayor, symbolising the continuity of generations and forward thinking. The festive event was accompanied by music from the Pops Wind Band. After the official part, visitors were able to explore the construction site of the pier and visit the open Narva-Jõesuu lighthouse.
The reconstruction of the pier is part of the wider project “Development of the waterway network and tourism business in the Ida-Viru region”, which aims to strengthen maritime and tourism cooperation in the region, create a coherent network of waterways and ports and expand business opportunities.
The installation of the time capsule is part of the project “Development of the waterway network and tourism business in the Ida-Viru region”, which is funded by the European Union Cohesion Policy Fund measure “Attractive regional business and living environment”, the support measure for the implementation of regional development strategies and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund measure “Investment support for fishing ports for the period 2021-2027”.
Event photo gallery
Arvo Juhkov
Development Manager
arvo.juhkov@narva-joesuu.ee
