OREANDA-NEWS. October 12, 2009. In the first three quarters of 2009 Klaipeda Port handled 20,12 million tons of  marine cargo, i.e. by -13,1 % or 3,03 million tons less than in corresponding  period of 2008, however it is by +1,1 % more than forecasted in Klaipeda port Strategic activity plan for the years 2009-2011. Since May this year the average monthly turnover of Klaipeda Seaport amounted to 2,32 million tons, thus the gap between handling results of the year 2008 and 2009  is decreasing every month, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda Port.
 
The largest growth rates in January-September this year were recorded in dry and bulk cargo sector. The largest growth was recorded in handling of agricultural products (+218,1 thousand tons, change +22,0 %) and bulk peat (+183,9 thousand tons, change +3,2 times). Growth was also observed in handling of  molasses  (+12,4 thousand tons, change +7,9 %) and packed fertilizers (+9,3 thousand tons, change +3,3 %), in comparison with the first three quarters of 2008.
 
In the first month of autumn of 2009 the port handled 2,28 million tons of cargo, i.e. by -8,1 % less as comparing to last year September.

In the first month of autumn of 2009, the rates of liquid cargo handling remained at the level of last September. In September this year the rates of dry and bulk cargo handling decreased by 7,3 %, and general cargo - by -17.9 %, comparing to last year September.

As usual, the results of liquid cargo handling mostly depend on turnover of oil products (684,7 thousand tons handled in September of 2009, 632,5 thousand tons in September of 2008–, change +52,2 thousand tons). Comparing to September 2008, the largest drop in liquid cargo turnover was recorded in handling figures for fertilizers (76,8 thousand tons handled in September 2009, and 119,1 thousand tons handled in September 2008, change -42,3 thousand tons).

In terms of bulk cargo nomenclature handled in September 2009 and 2008, the largest growth was recorded in handling of scrap metal (+29,8 thousand tons, 43,7 thousand tons handled, change +3,1 times), peat (+23,7 thousand tons, 30,8 thousand tons handled, change +4,3 times) and fertilizers (+12,3 thousand tons, 540,4 thousand tons handled, change +2,3 %). In the first month of autumn 2009 the largest drop was recorded in handling of agricultural products (-59,6 thousand tons, 159,3 thousand tons handled, change -27,2 %), mineral deposits and construction materials (-36,8 thousand tons, 57,1 thousand tons handled, change -39,2 %), raw sugar (-21,5 thousand tons, 2,5 thousand tons handled, change -89,6 %) and ferroalloys (-12,4 thousand tons, 11,9 thousand tons handled, change -50,9 %), in comparison to last year September.

In terms of general cargo nomenclature, no growth was recorded in the beginning of autumn of 2009. The biggest drop in handling figures was recorded in handling of containers (in terms of tonnage) (-47,1 thousand tons, 237,3 thousand tons handled, change -16,6 %), Ro-Ro cargoes (in terms of tonnage) (-46,6 thousand tons, 273,0 thousand tons handled, change -14,6 %) and iron- and steel-ware (-19,3 thousand tons, 15,7 thousand tons handled, change -55,6 %), as comparing to last year September.
 
In the first month of autumn 2009, the turnover of container units (TEU) in the port decreased by -37,9 % in comparison to September 2008 (19 315 TEU handled in September 2009, change -11 812 TEU). Handling of Ro-Ro units decreased by -16,0 % (14 953 units handled in September 2009, change -2 840 units).
 
In September 2009 Butinge Terminal handled 700,4 thousand tons of crude oil, i.e. cargo handling figures in the first month of autumn 2009 decreased by 12,8 % in comparison with the corresponding period of 2008, when 802,8 thousand tons of crude oil were handled.
 
In September 2009 30,1 thousand passengers visited Klaipeda i.e. by 2,9 % more than in the corresponding period of 2008.
                     
The end of September traditionally means the end of cruise season in Klaipeda Seaport. Over this year season, in total 50 cruise ships with 33 512 passengers onboard called at  Klaipeda port, i.e. by 4 ships (+8,7 % growth) and 1051 passengers (+3,2 % growth) more,  as comparing to the former, i.e. 2008 season. Such results of Klaipeda port look particularly positively, considering the influence of economic recession on the world cruise shipping market.