OREANDA-NEWS. April 20, 2012. Cargo handling in Port of Klaipeda in January-March 2012 fell 9 percent compared to the same period in 2011, to 8.2 million tons, the Port Authority statistics said.

In March, cargo throughput at the port’s terminals grew by 1% to 2.98 million tons. Handling of liquid bulk cargo increased by 28.6% to 958,000 tons, the volume of loose and grab bulk cargo fell 9%, to 1.05 million tons, of general cargo by 7.5%, to 970,000 tons.

In March, the port saw 594 arrivals (+1.7%, 10 ships). Passenger traffic increased by 11.8% to 21,188 people.

Shipments of crude oil through Butinge terminal leaped by 40% to 699,000 tons. The three-month volume of fertilizers amounted to 793,000 tons (-18,5%), Ro-Ro-cargo - 418 tons (-3.4%).

State-run Port of Klaipeda, the northernmost ice-free port on the East coast of the Baltic Sea, is the largest Lithuanian transport hub, connecting sea and inland traffic lanes. There are 17 stevedore companies, shipyards and other operators at the port, providing a broad range of services. In 2011, Port of Klaipeda cargo throughput rose 36 million tons from 31.27m tons a year before.