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

There was a growth of all cargo types (liquid, dry and bulk, general) in January-October of 2008.
Turnover of liquid cargoes increased by almost 5 times. Growth of this type of cargoes resulted from significant growth in handling of oil products.

In January-October, 2008 the turnover of oil products increased by 1,6 million tons more in comparison to corresponding  period of 2007 (7,67 million tons were handled in January-October of 2008, while in January-October of 2007 – 6,10 million tons, increase by +25,8%). Decrease of -123,79 thousand tons (-9,4%) was recorded in handling of liquid fertilizers; 1,20 million tons were handled this year.

Increase in dry and bulk cargo turnover was influenced by significant growth in handling of bulk fertilizers by +500,4 million tons (4,92 million tons handled in January-October of this year, change +11,3 %), agriculture products by +265,6 thousand tons (1,20 million tons handled in January-October of this year, change +28,4 %), raw sugar +188,1 thousand tons (323,50 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year, change +2,4 karto) and ferroalloys by +85,4 thousand tons (386,87 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year, change +28,3 %).

In comparison to the corresponding period of last year there was also an increase in turnover of containers (in terms of tonnage) by +520,8 thousand tons (3,00 million tons handled in January-October of this year, change +21,0 %), iron- and metal ware by +47,4 thousand tons (404,79 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year, change +13,3 %) and packed fertilizers by +33,8 thousand tons (328,93 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year, change +11,5 %)

In January-October of 2008 at Klaipeda seaport handling figures decreased for the following cargoes: Ro-ro cargoes (in terms of tonnage) by -363,9 thousand tons (3,09 million tons handled in January-October of this year, change -10,5 %), timber by -141,0 thousand tons handled (562,19 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year, change -20,1 %), liquid fertilizers by -123,8 thousand tons (1,20 million tons handled in January-October of this year, change -9,4 %), commercial minerals and construction materials by -46,7 thousand tons (734,15 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year, change -6,0 %) and molasses by 40,0 thousand tons (13,81 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year, change -74,4 %).

In the 10 months of 2008 container unit handling (in terms of TEU) in Klaipeda port grew by +18,4 %, 313,8 thousand TEU handled, while ro-ro unit handling decreased by –6,0 %, 173,7 thousand units handled  in comparison to January – October, 2007.

In January-October of 2008 the total number of passengers visiting the port by ferry in the first eight months has slightly dropped (-1,2 %) and amounted to 254,0 thousand.

In October of 2008, 2,14  million tons of cargo were handled at Klaipeda Port, i.e. the monthly handling figures decreased by -10,1 % in comparison to October of 2007.

In January-October of 2008, the port of Tallinn handled 24,34 million tons of cargo       (-22,3 % change in comparison to the same period of 2007). By cargo types, the handled volumes of dry and bulk cargoes decreased by -60,4 % or by -4,78 million tons, liquid cargoes by -11,8 % or by -2,26 million tons, while the turnover of general cargo has slightly increased  by +2,1 % or by +86,2 thousand tons. Liquid cargoes accounted for the major share, i.e. 69,3 % in the general structure of cargo at Tallinn Port.

In January-October of this year 2099 freight ships called at the port of Tallinn, in comparison to the same period of 2007 – 2388 ships (change -12,1 %).

In the ten months of 2008 6,24 million passengers visited the port of Tallinn, while the number of passengers in January-October of 2007 was 5,55 million (change +12,5 %).
 
In January-October of 2008 the port of Riga handled 24,28 million tons of cargo, it is by +13,2% more in comparison to corresponding period of 2007.

The turnover at the port of Riga continues to grow mainly due to increase in handling of dry and bulk cargoes (+26,4 %). 15,81 million tons of such cargoes were handled in the ten months of this year, i.e. +3,30 million tons more in comparison to corresponding  period of last year.

In January-October coal handling has increased by +32,1% (11,0 million tons handled), bulk fertilizers by +1,6 % (1,6 million tons handled), construction materials by +10,4 % (631,4 handled), ore by +33,8 % (304,8 thousand tons), grain handling figures amounted to 295,9 thousand tons, i.e has increased by +24,3% in comparison to last year. Coal handling accounted for 45,4% of the general turnover of cargo at Riga port.

In January-October of this year liquid cargo turnover in the port of Latvia increased by +4,1 %, in comparison to the same period of last year, and amounted to 4,33 million tons. Handling of oil products, which accounts for 98,8% of total liquid cargo turnover, has increased by 3,8 %, 4,28 million tons handled.
 
The amount of general cargo handled in the port of Riga continues decreasing; 4,15  million tons were handled in January-October of 2008 (-13,3% less than in January-October of last year). In terms of general cargo nomenclature, timber accounted for 1,80 million tons (–29,4 %), and containerized cargoes 1,60  million tons (+2,3 %).

In the ten months of this year 436,8 thousand passengers visited the port of Riga, while in January-October of 2007 this figure was 394,6 thousand (change +10,7 %).
 
In January-October of 2008 the port of Ventspils handled 23,52 million tons of cargo (while in the ten months of 2007 – 25,99 million tons).

This year decrease by -6,0 % was recorded in handling of dry and bulk cargoes (6,80 million tons handled), handling of liquid cargoes has decreased by -10,4 %, i.e. 14,89 million tons of cargo were handled, handling of general cargoes decreased by -14,9% (1,82 million tons handled) in comparison to the corresponding period of 2007.

In terms of cargo nomenclature, the largest growth in cargo handling in the port of Ventspils this year was recorded in the following cargo types: ammonia by +183,0 thousand tons (982,0 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year) and grain by +161,0 thousand tons (535,0 thousand tons handled in January-October of this year).

The significant decrease was recorded in the following cargo types: oil products by -1,34 million tons (12,56 million tons handled in January-October of this year), fertilizers by -633,0 thousand tons (2,11 million tons handled in January-October of this year), raw oil by 587,0 thousand tons (1,25 million tons handled in January-October of this year) and Ro-ro cargoes by -287,0 thousand tons (1,17 million tons handled in January-October of this year).

The trend for significant decrease in number of passengers in the neighbouring country port continues, i.e., in January-October only 30,45 thousand of passengers visited the port of Ventspils (by -33,7% less in comparison to the same period of 2007). 1812 ships called at the port of Ventspils in January-October of 2008 (by 67 ships less than in January-October of 2007).
In January-October of 2008 the port of Liepaja handled 3,61 million tons of cargo (increase by +8,3 %  in comparison to the corresponding period of 2007).

 This year decrease by -6,0 % was recorded in handling of dry and bulk cargoes (6,80 million tons handled), handling of liquid cargoes has decreased by -10,4 %, i.e. 14,89 million tons of cargo were handled, handling of general cargoes decreased by -14,9% (1,82 million tons handled) in comparison to the corresponding period of 2007.

In terms of cargo types, turnover of liquid cargoes increased by +20,3 %  times (0,79 million tons handled in January-October of 2008), general cargo by +14,4 % (2008 1,26 million tons handled in January-October of 2008), and handling of dry and bulk cargoes decreased by -1,1 % (1,56 million tons handled in January-October of 2008).

Handling results of main cargoes handled in the port of Liepaja in January-October of this year were as follows: oil products -0,8 % (442,2 thousand tons handled), grain +18,3 % (1,17 million tons handled), timber -4,1 % (394,3 thousand tons handled), metals -13,5 % (470,6 thousand tons handled), containers (in terms of tonnage) -27,3 % (35,9 thousand tons handled) less in comparison to the same period of 2007.