ACTIVITY OF KLAIPEDA AND NEIGHBOURING PORTS IN JANUARY-JUNE 2005

Klaipeda port

 

 

During the first half year of 2005 Klaipeda Seaport handled 10,6 million tons of cargo, i.e. by 1 % more than during the relevant period of 2004.

 

If to compare with cargo handling of the first half of 2005 with the same period of 2004 according to cargo type, general and bulk cargo handling increased relevantly by +9% and +3%, but liquid cargo decreased by -7 %.

 

Good grain harvest allowed to increase grain handling nearly 5 times (in 2005 256,0 thousand tons were handled and in 2004 – 52,0 thousand tons).

Permanent modernization of Klaipeda State Seaport infrastructure and output capacity increased export of fertilizers via the port.

Veterinary control points complying with EU requirements, installed in the port much earlier than in the other Easter Baltic ports made a positive influence upon  volumes of perishable cargo handling in Klaipeda Seaport. This type of cargo was handled more by 69% if to compare with the last year.

 

Cargo containerization, increasing Lithuanian consumer’s potential, Klaipeda Seaport potential to serve some markets at a time (Russia, Byelorussia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and others) are the factors that influenced directly container handling growth in the port.

 

In January- June 2005 104 172 TEU was handled in the port, i.e. by 35% more than last year. In April 18 893 TEU was handled, that is the record in monthly container handling in Klaipeda port starting from the very beginning of container handling.

 

In January – June 2005 Klaipeda Seaport handled over 100 000 TEU. Klaipeda Seaport is the first Eastern Baltic Sea port (Tallinn, Ventspils, Riga, Klaipeda, Butinge, Liepaja) that exceeded this limit.

 

Container handling in the Baltic ports (TEU) in January- June, 2005

 

 

In the firs half of 2005 container transportation by container- contrailer shuttle train

“Viking” exceeded several times (in the first half year 2005 7328 TEU was transported, last year – 286 TEU).

 

Container train (launched in 23-07-2005) “Merkurijus” by the route Klaipdea/Kaliningrad-Minsk-Moscow and back will give a possibility for cargo owner or forwarder to choose the most appropriate model of logistics chain.

 

Favourable market conditions positively influenced the handling of iron and steel products, fodder, cement.

 

No matter the fact that in the first half of 2005 handling of liquid fertilizers increased by 33 % in comparison with the same period last year, however decrease of oil handling had direct influence on volumes of the whole handling of liquid cargo.

 

73 844 road transport vehicles were carried by ferries and this index is the same as the last year.

 

In January- June 2005 Klaipeda Seaport served 90 090 passengers or by 13 % more than during the relevant period of 2004.

 

In January-June 2005 Butinge SPM handled 2.6 million tons of crude oil.

 

Neighbouring ports

 

In January-June the total cargo volumes in the main ports of Russia in the East Baltic region (St. Petersburg, Primorsk, Kaliningrad) increased by 19.0 % (9301.9 th.t), however cargo volumes of EU countries in the Baltic ports (Tallinn, Ventspils, Riga, Klaipeda, Butinge SPM, Liepaja) decreased by 1.7 % (1053.4 th.t.)

 

Cargo handling in Eastern Baltic ports in January-June 2005

 

 

 

 

As far as cargo volumes are concerned Sankt Petersburg and Primorsk remain at the top, where cargo handling increased by 18.5 % and 21 % respectively in comparison with the last year.

Cargo handling in Tallinn increased by 2.6 % after the increase in handling of bulk (up to 3.3 million tons or by 16.8 %), liquid cargoes (up to 13.7 million tons or by 2.4 %).

Cargo handling in Ventspils increased in comparison with the first half of the last year.

Riga handled by 4 % more in comparison with the last year. Coal handling in Riga port made 42 % of the whole handling.

During the first half of 2005 Kaliningrad port handled by 14.9 % more than last year.

Cargo handling in Liepaja made 2.3 million tons of cargo, i.e. by 5 % less than last year.