Time capsule intended to mark the beginning of the construction of international container distribution centre

On the 10th of October 2013 the ceremony of capsule placing ceremony was organized on the quay of the terminal of stevedoring joint stock company „Klaipėdos Smelte“. This ceremony marked the beginning of the construction of international container distribution centre and symbolically denoted the idea of the most updated project in Klaipėda Seaport that was born in 2008. The executives of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority participated in this event.

Both necessary infrastructure and supra-structure is to be developed for successful functioning of the Baltic container distribution centre in Klaipėda Seaport.

The Port Authority, responsible for infrastructure development, presently is constructing quays No. 90-96 necessary for this container distribution centre. It has been planned to complete the construction of quays as well as capital dredging works alongside the quays in 2013.

Namely the qualitative and quantitave development of infrastructure is one of the most significant tools of Port Authority seeking to enhance the competitiveness of the Port and to create favourable conditions for investments of private capital: in synergy implemented investments to infrastructure and supra-structure create preconditions for growth of cargo handling turnover that ensures the income to all participants of logistics chain.

The basic objective is to ensure the implementation of investments to infrastructure and their financing as implemented investments should create possibilities to increase the cargo handling rates.

Construction of this centre is one of the basic infrastructure development projects that should extremely increase the qualitative infrastructure parameters. Financial resources of Port Authority are directed towards the optimal development of Port infrastructure. The invested funds should allow to:
• integrate into European transport network and sea motorways system that currently is under development;
• to complete the commenced Port reconstruction that should allow companies operating in the Port to benefit from advantages of dredged Port navigation channel;
• to induce exporters and importers of the country to use Port services;
• to reach maximum possible depths in Klaipėda Port and to ensure in such a way maximum safety of the Port and to enhance the competitiveness;
• to keep present transit Belarusian  cargo flows;
• to create possibilities to attract new transit Russian cargo flows and alternative cargo flows from other countries;
• to develop in complex Port infrastructure. The complex development of the Port should allow to start the   immediate exploitation of object as soon as they are transferred for operation. Such system will generate  income of the operators;
• to receive the highest economic-social return from implemented investments;
• to help the Seaport of Klaipėda to create better  competitive conditions than in the Seaport of Riga while transporting ISAF and NATO cargoes.

Stevedoring joint stock company „Klaipėdos Smelte“ elaborates the plans related with the development of terminal territory and construction of supra-structure objects. The successful implementation of these plans should allow the operator of the terminal stevedoring joint stock company „Klaipėdos Smelte“ to increase the Klaipėda Port container handling capacity from 0,650 to 1,4 million TEU per year.

International container distribution centre of stevedoring joint stock company „Klaipėdos Smelte“ is the new development stage of Klaipėda Port, when the Port transforms from FEEDER type to HUB type port.

„It is the unique object that will generate benefit to all – Klaipėda city, the Port and the country, updated facilities will be employed in the centre, new job places and possibilities will be created. Later the new training centre where the qualified labour forces will be prepared will be established. The trained people will work both in the stevedoring joint stock company „Klaipėdos Smelte“ and in other stevedoring companies“, told the director general of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority Arvydas Vaitkus.