OREANDA-NEWS. May 20, 2008. Following cargo handling data of January-April 2008 Klaipeda port left behind Tallinn and Ventspils port during the whole history of independent Klaipeda port. Only after Russian ports (Kaliningrad and Saint Petersburg ports), Klaipeda port became the third port on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea according to the total turnover of the ports and the second port – according to container handling, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda port.
 
During January-April 2008, 10,45 million tons were handled in Klaipeda port. It is by 22,0 percent more than during the same period 2007.

During January-April 2008 there grew the volumes of all types of cargo (general, bulk and dry bulk).

The growth of liquid cargo was predetermined by the significant growth of oil products handling (during January-April 2008 3,38 million tons was handled and during the same period  2007 – 2,61 million tons, difference +29,2 percent). The handling volumes of liquid fertilizers remained in the level of last year (during the first four months 501 thousand tons of liquid fertilizers was handled).

The growth of bulk and dry bulk cargo was predetermined by the significant growth of stevedoring volumes of agricultural products (3,2 times), raw sugar (2,3 times), alloys (+53,5 percent), peat  (+36,4 percent) and bulk fertilizers (+29,1 percent).

Comparing to the same period last year there also increased stevedoring volumes of timber and forestry ( +32,5 percent) and containers (from the point of view of tonnage) (+25,8 percent). There decreased handling volumes of molasses (–53,2 percent), packed peat (–33,7 percent), scrap metal (–13,8 percent) and ro-ro cargo (from the point of view of tonnage) (–7,1 percent) in Klaipeda port. 

Container handling increased by 24,0 percent (in TEU), and ro-ro units handling remained in the level of last year.

During the first four months the total number of passengers served in the port increased by  6,3 percent and made 57,6 thousand.

During April 2008 2,56 million tons of cargo was handled in Klaipeda port i.e. the monthly cargo turnover increased by 16,8 percent, comparing to April 2007.

In Tallinn port during January-April 2008 10,45 million tons of cargo was handled (-32,1 percent, difference comparing to the same period 2007). According to the types of cargo there decreased the handling volumes of bulk and dry bulk cargo by 69,9 percent or by 3,25 million tons less, liquid cargo volumes decreased by 19,1 percent or by 1,73 million tons, and the volumes of general cargo increased by 3,9 percent or by 62,6 thousand tons. The biggest part in the total Tallinn port cargo structure made liquid cargo, i.e. 70,4 percent.

During January-April 2008 745 cargo ships called Tallinn port and during the same period 2007 – 1067 ships (difference –30,2 percent).

During the first four months of this year 1,84 million passengers visited Tallinn port and during January-April 2007 -1,62 million (difference +13,6 percent).
 
During January-April 2008 10,39 million tons of cargo was handled in Ventspils port, and during the same period 2007 – 10,41 million tons. The liquid cargo volumes increased by 9,5 percent, i.e. 7,13 million tons of cargo was handled. General cargo handling decreased by 17,5 percent (0,71 million tons), bulk and dry bulk by16,3 percent less than during the same period last year.

According to the type of cargo there mostly grew the handling volumes of metal constructions  (3,6 times), grain (+59,4 percent), ammonia (+45,5 percent) and oil products (+14,6 percent) in Ventspils port. Handling volumes of the main transit cargo – oil products and bulk fertilizers – remained the same: oil products during January-April 2008 was handled 6,21 million tons (+14,6 percent), bulk fertilizers – 0,67 million tons (-46,2 percent).

During January-April this year 55 thousand tons of containerised cargo was handled in Ventspils port (last year 52 thousand tons) and 5,59 thousand passengers were served (-46,1 percent less  than during the same period last year).
 
9,58 million tons of cargo was handled in Riga port during January-April 2008, i.e. by  20,3 percent more than during January-April 2007. There grew stevedoring volumes only of bulk and  dry bulk cargo (+37,9 percent). 6.33 million tons of this type of cargo was handled, i.e. by 1,26 million tons more than during the same period last year. Coal handling increased by 1,37 million tons or by 43,9 percent more, grain +101,7 thousand tons or by  3,1 times more than last year. Coal handling made 47,1 percent of the total turnover of Riga port.

Liquid cargo volumes during January-April 2008 slightly decreased (-1,1 percent), comparing to the same period last year and made 1,61 million tons. Oil products handling decreased by 1,3 percent and it makes 99 percent of the total turnover of liquid cargo.

General cargo in Riga port made 1,64 million tons (by 5,9 percent less than during the same period last year). According to the type of general cargo timber made 0,77 million tons or (by 19,9 percent less), and containerized cargo - 0,61 million tons or by 6,0 percent more.

During the first four months of this year 85,7 thousand passengers were serve din Riga port and during the same period 2007  60,2 thousand (difference  +42,3 percent).
 
5,71 million tons of cargo was handled in Kaliningrad port during January-April 2008 or by 7,8 percent more than during the same period 2007. According to the types of cargo the handling volumes of bulk and dry bulk cargo increased by 60,3 percent (during January-April 2008 1,23 million tons was handled), general cargo volumes increased by 3,9 percent (during January-April 2008 1,29 million tons was handled), and liquid cargo decreased by 3,4 percent (during January-April 2008 3,12 million tons was handled). 71,9 thousand tons of other types of cargo was handled in Kaliningrad port (difference +19,8 percent).

The main types of cargo like in 2007 there remained oil products, black metals and containers. Oil and oil products made 3,09 million tons, i.e.  54,0 percent of the total cargo turnover during January-April 2008 .
 
1,54 million tons of cargo was handled in Liepaja port during January-April 2008 or by 14,5 percent more than in  2007). According to the type of cargo, liquid cargo increased by 33,6 percent (during January-April 2008 0,38 million tons was handled), bulk and dry bulk cargo volume increased by 16,2 percent (during January-April 2008 0,70 million tons was handled), and general cargo volumes remained in the level of last year (during January-April 2008 0,47 million tons was handled).

The main cargo handling results were the following: crude oil +59,5 percent (94,9 thousand tons was handled), oil products +10,6 percent (230,7 thousand tons was handled), grain +42,5 percent (514,6 thousand tons was handled), timber handling remained in the level of last year (182,7 thousand tons was handled), metals –20,5 percent (175,5 thousand tons was handled) and containers –8,0 percent (18,8 thousand tons) less than during the same period 2007.