OREANDA-NEWS. June 21, 2010. In  January-May this year the ports of the Baltic States handled 53,135 mln. tons of marine cargo – by 6,0 % more, than in corresponding period last year. The share of Latvian ports made 48,1 % of the total cargo turnover in the Baltic States, Estonian ports –  28,3 %  and the  port of Lithuania – 23,6 %, correspondingly, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda Port.  
 
In January-May this year Klaipeda port handling figures increased by 15,9 %, during the above period the port handled 12,545 mln. t of marine cargo in total. Moreover, in May the highest cargo turnover results were achieved since the beginning of the year –  2,603 mln. t handled, i.e. by 12,3 % more, than in May 2009.
 
Klaipeda still outperforms the neighbouring ports of Riga and Ventspils – cargo handling results at Klaipeda port in January-May this year exceeded those of the above ports in terms of the share in the total turnover of all ports; Klaipeda port takes the second position after Tallinn port.
 
Growth in handling figures for consumer goods that are shipped in containers and by road vehicles is especially encouraging factor: in January-May this year Klaipeda port handled 85 244 units of vehicles transported onboard ro-ro ferries  – i.e. by 28,8 % more than in corresponding period last year. Number of containers handled during the reporting period amounted to 114801 TEU – i.e. by 9,3 % more, as compared with corresponding period in 2009. Klaipeda port maintains its position as the largest container port among other ports of the Baltic States. Besides, its handling figures both for ro-ro units and containers are the highest since the beginning of the year.
 
Even higher rates of growth were observed in ro-ro and containerised cargo turnover in terms of tonnage: increase in ro-ro cargo turnover amounted to 37,2 %, containerised cargo – to 32,3 %.