OREANDA-NEWS. March 30, 2010. During the first two months of 2010 the growth of dry and bulk cargo turnover at Klaipeda port resulted from increase in handling figures for fertilizers (increase by +547,2 thousand tons, 1.243,8 thousand tons handled, positive change by +78,6 %), mineral deposits and construction materials (increase by +94,8 thousand tons, 175,5 thousand tons handled, positive change by +117,3 %), peat (increase by +19,7 thousand tons, 79,2 thousand tons handled, positive change by +33,4 %) and raw sugar (increase by +13,3 thousand tons, 80,8 thousand tons handled, positive change by +19,7 %). The biggest drop was recorded in handling of agricultural products (drop by -101,8 thousand tons, 249,1 thousand tons handled, negative change by -29,0 %), ferroalloys (drop by -24,5 thousand tons, 5,3 thousand tons handled, negative change by -82,2 %) and metal scrap (drop by -14,2 thousand tons, 22,9 thousand tons handled, negative change by -38,3 %), comparing to the corresponding period of 2009.

In terms of nomenclature of general cargo handled in January-February this year, the biggest growth rates were recorded in handling figures for Ro-Ro cargo (increase by +158,4 thousand tons, 589,9 thousand tons handled, positive change by +36,7 %), containerized cargo (increase by +134,6 thousand tons, 532,6 thousand tons handled, positive change by +33,8 %), timber (increase by +23,6 thousand tons, 76,5 thousand tons handled, positive change by +44,5 %), fertilizers (increase by +9,6 thousand tons, 76,4 thousand tons handled, positive change by +14,4 %) and peat (increase by +7,6 thousand tons, 7,7 thousand tons handled, positive change by +10.982 %). Handling figures for iron and metal ware and metal constructions decreased by 30,6 thousand tons or by 48,0 % (33,2 thousand tons handled), and frozen products by 19,3 thousand tons or by 22,0 % (68,7 thousand tons handled), in comparison to January-February 2009.

In January-February 2010 the drop in handling figures for liquid cargoes resulted from decrease in handling of oil products – 1.354,2 thousand tons handled, i.e. by 325,5 thousand tons or by 19,4 % less in comparison to corresponding period of 2009. During the first two months of 2010 growth was recorded in handling figures for liquid fertilizers (increase by +34,3 thousand tons, 146,1 thousand tons handled, positive change by +30,7 %) and molasses (increase by +0,2 thousand tons, 8,8 thousand tons handled, positive change by +3,5 %).

28.945 Ro-Ro units were handled in January-February this year, i.e. by 25,0 % or by 5.785 units more than in corresponding period of 2009. Turnover of containers (in TEU) decreased by 2,7%  (or by -1.117 TEU) to 20.328 TEU (results of container turnover at Klaipeda port and other ports of Eastern Baltic are shown in Figure 2).

976 ships called at the port of Klaipeda in January-February 2010,  i.e. by 12,9 % or by 145 ships less than in corresponding period of 2009. The number of passengers that visited Klaipeda during the reporting period amounted to 27,4 thousand, i.e. by 18,2 % more than in corresponding period of 2009.

In January-February this year cargo handling figures in Butinge Terminal dropped by 13,3% in comparison to corresponding period of the last year and amounted to 1.302,9 thousand tons.