OREANDA-NEWS. November 14, 2008. January-October 2008, Klaipeda Port handled 25,30 million tons of cargo, i.e. by +10,8 % more in comparison to the corresponding period of 2007, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda Port.

The largest growth in cargo turnover in January-October of this year was recorded in handling of oil products (+1,57 million tons, 7,67 million tons handled), containers (in terms of tonnage)(+0,52 million tons, 3,00 million tons handled), bulk fertilizers (+0,50 million tons, 4,92 million tons handled), agriculture products (+0,27 million tons, 1,20 million tons handled) and raw sugar (+0,19 million tons, 0,32 million tons handled) in comparison to the same period of 2007.

Handling of container units has grown by +18,4 % (in terms ofTEU), while the figure for ro-ro units slightly declined (-6,0 %).

In ten months of this year the total number of passengers arriving at the port by ferries has slightly decreased (by 1,2 %) in comparison to the corresponding period and totalled 254,0 thousand.

Butinge Oil Terminal handled 7,36 million tons of crude oil in January–October 2008 (the total turnover increased nearly twice).
 
The cargo turnover in Klaipeda port in October 2008 totalled 2,14 million tons, i.e., the monthly turnover decreased by 10,1 % in comparison to October 2007.

Cargo handling at the Port of Klaipeda in October 2007 and 2008
In October 2008 the turnover of liquid (+7,2 %) and general cargoes (+2,0 %) increased, while the handling of dry and bulk cargoes decreased by 30,4 % in comparison to October 2007.

Growth in turnover of liquid cargoes was largely influenced by 18,2 % increase in handling of oil products at the port of Klaipeda (499,24 thousand tons handled in October 2008, while in October 2007 – 422,55 thousand tons, change +76,69 thousand tons). The turnover of liquid fertilizers continues decreasing (in October of this year 74,90 thousand tons handled, in October 2007 – 114,33 thousand tons, change – 39,43 thousand tons).

Comparing the nomenclature of bulk cargoes handled in October, 2008 and 2007, growth in raw sugar (+39,00 thousand tons, 39,00 thousand tons handled) and agricultural products (+7,29 thousand tons, 210,60 thousand tons handled) was recorded at Klaipeda port; while handling figures for bulk fertilizers (– 299,04 thousand tons, 280,72 thousand tons handled), primary and processed minerals (–39,70 thousand tons, 74,07 thousand tons handled) and ferroalloys (– 21,57 thousand tons, 22,64 thousand tons handled) in October, 2008 decreased in comparison to the corresponding period of 2007.

In terms of general cargo nomenclature, the growth was also recorded in handling of iron- and steel-ware (+38,81 thousand tons, 65,22 thousand tons handled), containers (in terms of tonnage) (+32,61 thousand tons, 319,10 thousand tons handled) and packed fertilizers (+20,39 thousand tons, 44,56 thousand tons handled).

Decline was recorded in handling of timber (– 63,87 thousand tons, 27,26 thousand tons handled), Ro-Ro cargoes (in terms of tonnage) (– 18,17 thousand tons, 326,20 thousand tons handled) and refrigerated cargoes (– 8,57 thousand tons, 54,16 thousand tons handled).

The following main reasons determine the decrease in cargo turnover at the port: declining general demand on the market for aforesaid cargo due to the globally decreasing consumption. Drop in timber handling was determined by lower demand for this cargo in Scandinavia.

Turnover of container units (in terms of TEU) at the port in October of this year increased by 13,8 % (in October 2008, 35,161 TEU handled, change +4,253 TEU) in comparison to October 2007. Handling of Ro - Ro units decreased by – 7,4 % (in October 2008, 17,243 units handled, change –1,380 units).

In October 2008 16,5 thousand passengers visited Klaipeda, i.e. 2,5 % less than in October 2007.