OREANDA-NEWS. October 19, 2009. In January – September of 2009 Klaipeda Port handled 20,12 million tons of marine cargo, i.e. less by -13,1 % or by 3,03 million tons than during the corresponding  period of 2008, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda Port.
 
In terms of liquid cargo nomenclature during three quarters of 2009 increase in molasses handling has been by +2,1 times (23,8 thousand tons were handled in January - September in 2009 and 11,5 thousand tons were handled in January – September in 2008, i.e. change makes +12,4 thousand tons).

Decrease of liquid cargo handling has been affected by reduced liquid cargo turnover in the Port: the handling of liquid fertilizers reduced by 30,1 percent (785,5 thousand tons in January – September in 2009 and 1124,0 thousand tons in January – September in 2008, i.e. the change is - 338,5 thousand tons) and the handling of oil products – by 3,3 percent (6,94 million tons were handled in January – September in 2009 and 7,17 million. tons in January – September in 2008, i.e. the change makes - 239,1 thousand tons).

The growth tendency in dry cargo turnover has been observed in handling of agriculture products (+ 218,1 thousand tons, 1,21 million tons were handled, the change is +22,0 percent) and peat handling (+183,9 thousand tons, 268,2 thousand tons were handled, the change is +3,2 times). During nine months of this year the biggest drop was recorded in handling of bulk fertilizers (-641,5 thousand tons, 3,99 million tons were handled, the change is -13,8 percent.), metal scrap (-252,8 thousand tons, 190,0 thousand tons were handled, the change is – 57,1 percent.), ferroalloys (-221,6 thousand tons, 142,6 thousand tons were handled, the change is -60,8 percent), mining products and construction materials (-73,6 thousand tons, 594,2 thousand tons were handled, the change is – 11,0 percent) and sugar raw (-48,8 thousand tons, 235,7 thousand tons were handled, the change is – 17,2 percent) if to compare with a corresponding period of 2008.

In terms of general cargo nomenclature the growth of packed fertilizers was recorded (+9,3 thousand tons, 293,6 thousand tons were handled, the change is +3,3 percent) in January – September of this year. The biggest drop in handling figures was recorded for containers (in terms of tonnage) (-447,5 thousand tons, 2,32 million tons were handled, the change is – 24,2 percent), Ro-Ro cargo (in terms of tonnage) (-447,5 thousand tons, 2,32 million tons were handled, the change is - 16,2 percent), timber (-246,9 thousand tons, 288,1 thousand tons were handled, the change is -46,1 percent), iron and steel ware (-110,1 thousand tons, 252,2 thousand tons were handled, the change is -30,4 percent) and handling of refrigerated products (-69,0 thousand tons, 199,7 thousand tons were handled, the change is -25,7 percent).

In January – September of 2009 the turnover of container units (TEU) in the port was less by -34,8 percent than during the corresponding period of 2008 (in January – September of 2009 181 609 TEU was handled, the change is – 97063 TEU). Handling of Ro-Ro units decreased by – 19,5 percent (129971 TEU was handled in January-September of 2009, the change is – 31509 units). 

During three quarters of 2009 226,9 thousand passengers visited Klaipeda, i.e. less by 3,0 percent than in the corresponding period of 2008.

At the end of September the season of cruise navigation traditionally is over in Klaipeda Port. Totally 50 cruise vessels with 33512 thousand cruise passengers on board visited Klaipeda Port this year, i.e. more by 4 cruise ships ( the increase by +8,7 percent) and 1051 passengers ( the increase by +3,2 percent) percent comparing with the corresponding season of the last year.

The above mentioned indices are rather satisfying considering the impact of economic difficulties on the global market of cruise navigation.

Cargo handling at Butinges terminal in three quarters of 2009 comparing with the corresponding period of the last year reduced by – 6,4 percent and made 6,42 million tons.

Neighbouring ports
During three quarters of this year 37,04 million tons of cargo, i.e. less by – 19,9 percent or by – 9,19 million tons if to compare with the corresponding period of 2008  was handled in the Port of St. Petersburg. Handlings of oil products (+3,9 percent), ferrous metal (+27,7 percent) and coal (+25,5 percent) were constantly increasing in one of the largest Ports of Russia.

Liquid cargo volume, reaching up to 11,89 million tons in January – September of 2009 (the change is +3,5 percent)  was determined mainly by growing handling of oil products ( in January – September of 2009 11,88 million tons were handled, while in January – September of 2008 this number was 11,43 million tons, the change is +3,9 percent). The handling of the remaining types of liquid cargo in the Port of St. Petersburg during nine month of present year made 12,8 thousand tons, while during the corresponding period of 2008 it was – 52,8 thousand tons (-75,8 percent).

General cargo handling dropped down nearly by a quarter (8,74 million tons were handled in January – September of 2009 and in January – September of 2008 this number was11,47 million tons). Container cargo occupying the largest part in this cargo group (in terms of tonnage) dropped down even by 28,4 percent ( during nine month of this year 10,36 million containers were handled and during the corresponding period of 2008 this number was 14,48 million tons). Handling of metal scrap ( 693,8 thousand tons) and refrigerated products ( 2,04 million tons) decreased as well: metal scrap handling decreased by 56,5 percent or by – 900,2 thousand tons and refrigerated cargo by – 30,6 percent or by – 897,1 thousand tons. Increase in general cargo nomenclature was detected only in ferrous metal handling, 1,38 million tons were handled in January – September of this year and 1,08 million tons in January – September of 2008, the change is +27,7 percent.

Bulk cargo handling ( 5,96 million tons were handled in January – September of 2009 and 7,84 million tons were handled in January – September of 2008, the change is – 24,0) was mostly affected by reduced handlings of fertilizers, iron ore and grain - 3,23 million tons ( less by -1,76 thousand tons), 501,3 thousand tons (less by – 337,7 thousand tons) and 130,7 thousand tons ( less by – 200,7 thousand tons) respectively. Only coal handling increased in bulk cargo nomenclature, 1,98 million tons were handled in January – September of 2009 and 1,57 million tons were handled in January – September of 2008, the change is +25,5 percent.

Cargo handling rate during three quarters of the year in the Joint Port of Tallinn was 23,35  million tons (change +6,8 percent comparing to January – September of 2008). According to cargo type the turnover of general cargo dropped down by – 25,0 percent or –by 949,5 thousand tons. General cargo turnover was 2,85 million tons. Dry and bulk cargo handling increased by +12,2 or +332,4 thousand tons, dry and bulk cargo turnover was 3,05 million tons. Liquid cargo handling increased by +14,1 percent or by +2,15 million tons, total handling rate was 17,41 million tons.  Liquid cargo constitute the biggest part in general cargo structure of Tallin port – even 74,6 percent.

1963 cargo vessels called - in Tallinn Port in January – September in 2009, i.e. more by 107 vessels comparing with a corresponding period of 2008.

5,67 million passengers visited Tallinn Port this year , i.e. passenger flow was the same as in January – September of 2008.
 
In nine months of 2009 Ryga Seaport handled 22,37 million tons of cargo, i.e., more by +1,9 percent if to compare with the corresponding period of 2008. Due to growing handling of transit cargo, i.e. oil products (+29,7 percent) and coal (+10,7 percent) cargo handling in Ryga Port has been still increasing.

The turnover of dry and bulk cargo in January – September of 2009 in Ryga Seaport made 14,38 million tons, i.e. remained in the level of January – September of 2008. Analysis of dry and bulk cargo nomenclature showed that the highest growth rate was recorded in coal handling, 11,04 million tons or more by +10,7 percent than in January – September of 2008 (9,97 million tons). The handling of dry fertilizers reached 1,45 million tons, i.e. less by -0,5 percent than in January – September of 2008 when the handling of dry fertilizers was 1,46 million tons. Coal handling constituted 49,4 percent of total cargo handling turnover in Ryga Port.

Liquid cargo turnover in the Port of Latvia during nine month increased by+28,8 percent and reached up to 4,93 million tons. Oil product handling, that constitutes 99,5 percent of total liquid cargo turnover, increased by +29,7 percent, 4,90 million tons of liquid cargo were handled.

General cargo turnover in Riga Seaport decreased in January – September of 2009, their handling rate reached up to 3,05 million tons (-19,0 percent as to compare with January – September of 2008). In terms of general cargo nomenclature container handling made 1,32 million tons (-7,6 percent) and timber handling was 1,21 million tons (-28,2 percent). Ro – Ro cargo handling in January – September of 2009 was 445,0 thousand tons, i.e. less by -9,4 percent than during the corresponding period of 2008.

572,7 thousand passengers visited Ryga Port in three quarters of 2009 and the number of passengers during the corresponding period of 2008 was 401,7 thousand (change +42,6 percent). The number of cruise passenger in the season of 2009 increased by 44,6 percent up to 135,1 thousand passengers, i.e. more than 41,7 thousand cruise tourists visited Ryga port if to compare with the corresponding period of 2008.

During nine months of this year 20,71 million tons of cargo were handled in Ventspils Port (21,31 million tons during January – September of 2008, the change is-2,9 percent). Liquid cargo handling in Ventspils Port increased by+1,7 percent, 13,89 million tons were handled, dry and bulk cargo handling dropped down by -4,2 percent, the turnover of this cargo was 5,75 million tons, and general cargo handling decreased by -35,7 percent, 1,06 million tons were handled comparing with January-September of 2008.

In terms of cargo nomenclature the highest growth rate in three quarters of 2009 was recorded in oil product handling +1,35 million tons (12,83 million tons were handled in January – September of 2009, the change is +11,7 percent) and coal handling +946 thousand tons (4,16 million tons were handled in January – September of 2009, the change is +29,5 percent). Handling of fertilizers – 1,06 million tons (707 thousand tons were handled in January- September of 2009, the change is – 59,9 percent), crude oil 722,0 thousand tons (454,0 thousand tons were handled in January – September of 2009, the change is – 61,4 percent), ammonia – 406 thousand tons (498 thousand tons were handled in January – September of 2009, the change is -44,9 percent), Ro-Ro cargo – 402thousand tons (656 thousand tons were handled in January – September of 2009, the change is - 38,0) has been still decreasing in Ventspils Port.

The number of passengers in neighbouring port decreased by 17 064 passengers in January – September of 2009 and reached scarcely 12 104 passengers, i.e. – by – 58,5 percent less than it was in January – September of 2008.

During nine month of the year Ventspils Port rendered services to 1 357 vessels (283 vessels less than during the corresponding period of 2008).

3,15 million tons of cargo (-4,3 percent less than in January – September of 2008) were handled in Liepoja Port in January – September of 2009. In terms of cargo type the volume of dry and bulk increased by +6,1 percent (1,43 million tons were handled in January – September of 2009), general cargo handling increased by +4,0 percent (1,25 million tons were handled in January – September of 2009) meanwhile liquid cargo handling dropped down by -36,7 percent (468,8 thousand tons were handled in January- September of 2009) comparing three quarters of 2008.

Results of main cargo handling in Liepoja Port in January – September of 2009 were as follows: grain + 29,0 percent ( 1.27 million tons were handled, the change is +284,9 thousand tons), metal – 11,6 percent ( 402,9 thousand tons were handled, the change is – 52,9 thousand tons), timber – 3,5 percent (346,1 thousand tons were handled, the change is – 12,6 thousand tons) oil product – 47,1 percent (232,3 thousand tons were handled, the change is – 206,6 thousand tons), less if to compare with the corresponding period of 2008.