OREANDA-NEWS. October 31, 2008. According to the data of the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, cargo turnover at ports in January – September of 2008 reached 47.5 mln tons, which is 0.8% more if compared to the 9 months of 2007.

In the nine months of 2008 42.8 mln tons were loaded at ports, which is 3.3% more compared to January – September 2007.

The volume of coal loaded at ports reached 13.2 mln tons – increase of 26.4% compared to the 9 months of 2007. The volume of grain and grain products loaded at ports has increased by 40.4% and comprised 1.4 mln tons. In its turn the volume of oil products loaded at ports has decreased. In the nine months of 2008 15.3 mln tons of oil products were loaded at ports, which is 5.1 % less compared to the nine months of 2007. The volume of mineral fertilisers loaded at ports has reduced by 20.9% which comprised 3.2 mln tons. In the nine months of 2008 2.9 mln tons of timber were loaded at ports, which is a decrease of 19%, as well as 1.1 mln tons of wood in chips were loaded at ports – a decrease of 9.7%.

In January – September 2008 4.7 mln tons of cargos were unloaded at ports, a decrease of 17.6 % if compared to the 9 months of 2007.

Cargo in containers represented the bulk of cargo unloaded: 0.9 mln t that represents a decrease of 4 % compared to January – September 2007. In 9 months of 2008 0.7 mln tons of roll on/roll off cargo were unloaded at ports – a decrease of 14% compared to the same period of 2007. The volume of crude oil unloaded at ports decreased by 31.2%, of oil products – by 56% and of construction materials – by 2%.

In January – September 2008 21.3 mln tons of cargos were loaded and unloaded at the port of Ventspils, a decrease of 10.6 % if compared to the same period of 2007. The volume of cargos loaded at the port of Ventspils has decreased by 8.4 % and comprised 19.7 mln tons. In its turn the volume of unloaded cargos has reduced by 30.2%.

If compared to January – September 2007, the cargo turnover at the port of Riga in the nine months of 2008 has increased by 13.8 % and reached 21.9 mln tons. 19.4 mln tons of cargos were loaded at the port of Riga, which is 16.2 % more than in the corresponding period of the previous year. But 2.5 mln tons of cargos were unloaded at the port of Riga, which is less by 2.4 % than in the nine months of the previous year.

Cargo turnover at the port of Liepaja in January – September 2008 was 3.3 mln tons, and this is an increase of 12.1 % if compared to the nine months of 2007. 2.8 mln tons of cargos were loaded at the port of Liepaja, an increase of 20.2 % if compared to the corresponding period of previous year. However, the volume of cargo unloaded at this port has decreased, comprising 0.5 mln tons which is 19.1% less if compared to the same period of previous year.

In nine months of 2008 the volume of cargos loaded and unloaded at the minor ports was 1 mln t, a decrease of 9.3 % if compared to the 1st three quarters of 2007.

Passenger turnover at the airport “Rоga” continues to grow. There were 2.8 thsd passenger arrivals at and departures from the airport in the nine months of 2008, an increase of 18.5 % if compared to January – September 2007.

In January – September 2008 1.6 mln passengers using Latvian airlines arrived at and departed from the airport „Rоga” which is an increase of 33.5 % if compared to the nine months of previous year. However 1.2 thsd of passengers used foreign airlines which is an increase of 3.5% if compared to the same period of previous.

In the nine months of 2008 there were 402.2 thsd passenger arrivals at and departures from the passenger port of Riga, an increase of 9.3 % if compared to the nine months of previous year.

Passenger turnover at the port of Ventspils in the nine months of 2008 comprised 29 thsd passengers, a decrease of 34.8 % if compared to the nine months of 2007.