OREANDA-NEWS. April 18, 2008. During January-March 2008 7,89 million tons of cargo was handled in Klaipeda port. It is by 23,7 percent more than during the same period last year, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda port.

During January-March 2008 there grew the handling volumes of all types of cargo (general, bulk and dry bulk).

The growth of liquid cargo volume was predetermined by the growth of oil products handling (during January-March 2008 2,59 million tons was handled and during January-March 2007 – 1,99 million tons or by 29,9 percent more). The volumes of liquid fertilizers remained in the level of last year (during the first quarter of this year 368 thousand tons of liquid fertilizers was handled).

Comparing to the same period last year, there grew the handling volumes of raw sugar (4,2 times), agricultural products (3,4 times), peat (1,6 times), timber and forestry products (+42,7 percent), alloys (+41,8 percent), bulk fertilizers (+31,0 percent), oil products (+29,9 percent) and primary and treated minerals (+26,3 percent). There decreased handling volumes of molasses (–43,6 percent), scrap metal (–16,2 percent), ro-ro cargo(from the point of view of tonnage) (–9,5 percent) and iron  and steel products (-7,0 percent) in Klaipeda port. 

Container handling increased by 21,6 percent (in TEU), and ro-ro units handling remained in the level of last year.

During the first three months of this year the total number of ferry passengers increased by 8,4 percent and made  42,1 thousand.

In March 2008 the record cargo handling was reached – 2,88 million tons. It increased by 26,2 percent comparing to March 2007.

During January-March 2008 8,36 million tons of cargo was handled in Ventspils port and during January-March 2007 – 7,82 million tons. The stevedoring volumes increased due to the growth of liquid cargo volumes (+19,7 percent or 5,72 million tons). Handling of general cargo decreased by 16,0 percent ( 0,53 million tons was handled), bulk and dry bulk by 12,5 percent less  (2,11 million tons was handled).

According to the type of cargo, the growth of oil products was the biggest (+26,5 percent or by 1,04 million tons more), coal (+15,1 percent or by 154 thousand tons more) and grain (2,8 tomes or by 137 thousand tons more) in Ventspils port. Stevedoring volumes of the main transit cargo – oil products and bulk fertilizers- were the following: during January-March 2008 4,96 million tons of oil products was handled (+26,5 percent), bulk fertilizers– 0,57 million tons (-47,5 percent).

During January-March this year 37 thousand tons of containerized cargo was handled in Ventspils port (the same volume was handled last year) and 4,04 thousand passengers were served (41,5 percent less than during the same period  2007).
 
During January-March 2008 8,14 million tons of cargo was handled in Tallinn port (29,6 percent less comparing to the same period 2007). According to the type of cargo there decreased the handling volumes of bulk and dry bulk cargo by 68,9 percent or by 2,39 million tons, liquid cargo – by 15,3 percent less or by 1,05 million tons, and general cargo increased by 1,5 percent or by 18 thousand tons. Liquid cargo made the biggest part in the structure of Tallinn port cargo, i.e. 71,5 percent.

According to the type of cargo there decreased all the main cargo flows (except scrap metal): coal (-96,7 percent or by 1,96 million tons less), oil products (-15,4 percent or by 1,06 million tons less), bulk fertilizers (-58,9 percent or by 0,32 million tons less) and grain (-42,2 percent or by 0,22 million tons less).

During January-March 2008, 561 ships called Tallinn port and during January-March 2007 – 787 ship calls (by 28,7 percent more).

During the first three months of this year 1,34 million passengers came to Tallinn port, and during the same period 2007 -  1,11 million (by 20,5 percent more).
 
During January-March 2008, 7,00 million tons of cargo was handled in Riga port, i.e. by  20,4 percent more than during January-March 2007. There grew the handling volumes of bulk and dry bulk cargo (+37,5 percent) and liquid cargo (+1,4 percent). Bulk and dry bulk cargo made the biggest part - 4,63 million tons and it was by  1,26 million tons more than during January-March 2007. Coal handling volumes increased by 0,99 million tons or by 42,9 percent, grain – by 79 thousand tons more or by  3,1 times more than last year. Coal handling made 46,7 percent of the total turnover of Riga port.

The volumes of liquid cargo slightly increased during January-March 2008, +1,4 percent, comparing to the same period last year and made 1,18 million tons. Oil products handling remained in the level of last year.

1,19 million tons of general cargo was handled in Riga port (7,1 percent less than during January-March 2007). According to the type of general cargo, timber made 0,56 million tons (-20,8 percent), and containerized cargo - 0,45 million tons (+7,5 percent).

62,4 thousand passengers visited Riga port during the first three months of this year, and during the same period 2007 there were 35,9 thousand ( +74,1 percent).
 
During January-March 2008, 4,35 million tons of cargo was handled in Kaliningrad port (13,2 percent more than during January-March 2007). According to the type of cargo there increased the handling volumes of bulk and dry bulk cargo by 53,5 percent (during January-March 2008, 0,86 million tons of cargo was handled), liquid cargo volumes increased by 7,3 percent (during January-March 2008, 2,49 million tons was handled) and general cargo volumes increased by 2,4 percent (during January-March 2008, 0,91 million tons was handled).

The main type of cargo flows there remained oil products, black metals and containers. 2,49 million tons of oil products was handled during the first quarter of this year, i.e. 57,3 percent of the total cargo turnover.

During January-March 2008, 2,38 million tons of cargo was handled in Liepaja  port  (2,4 times more than during January-March 2007). According to the type of cargo there increased the volumes of liquid cargo by 3,6 times (during January-March 2008, 0,71 million tons was handled), bulk and dry bulk cargo by 18,9 percent (during January-March 2008, 0,55 million tons was handled) and general cargo increased by 3,3 times (during January-March 2008, 1,13 million tons was handled).

The following cargo handling results in Liepaja port during January-March2008 were:  crude oil - 12 times more( 464 thousand tons was handled), oil products – by 44,0 percent more  (214 thousand tons was handled), grain – by 40,5 percent more ( 548 thousand tons was handled), timber – by 30,0 percent more (145 thousand tons was handled), metals – by 44,2 percent less (104 thousand tons less) and containers – by 9,6 percent less (or 13,5 thousand tons). Packed agricultural products and sugar was handled 410 thousand tons and 321 thousand tons respectively during January-March 2008 (during January-March 2007 this type of cargo was not handled).