OREANDA-NEWS. August 27, 2008. Based on the cargo handling data for the period of January through July 2008, the port of Klaipeda retains the leading position in the Baltic region, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda Port.

In January through July 2008 Klaipeda Port handled 18.24 million tones of cargo, which is higher by +16.2 percent in comparison to the corresponding period of 2007. 

In terms of cargo types, there was a growth of all cargo types (liquid, dry and bulk, general) in the period January through July this year.

Growth of liquid cargoes resulted from increasing oil products handling.  In the first seven months of 2008 amount of oil handled increased by +25,7 % (handling figure for January – July 2008 was 5,82 million tons, and in January-July 2007– 4,63 million tons).  Handling of liquid fertilizers stayed at the level of 2007 level, the turnover for this year is 0.85 million tons.

Increase in turnover of dry and bulk cargoes was determined by major growth in the handling of raw sugar (+93.2 %), agricultural products (+62.4 %), ferroalloys (+55.3 %) and bulk fertilizers (+32.5 %).

In comparison to the previous year, turnover of container units (in terms of tonnage) (+22.3%), iron and steel goods (+3.3%) and refrigerated goods (+2.6%) saw an increase in volume.  There was decrease in the handling figures for molasses (–73.5 %), bagged peat (–55.0 %), ro-ro units (in terms of tonnage) (–12.0 %), bagged fertilizers (-10.0 %) and raw materials and building materials (–8.0 %).

Handling of container units grew by +20.2 percent (in terms of TEU), and that of ro-ro units slumped by -5.5% in comparison with January-July 2007.

The total number of passengers visiting the port by ferry during the first seven months decreased by 3.4% and amounted to 156.3 thousand.

Total cargo handling volume in the port of Klaipeda in July constituted 2.35 million tons, i.e., the monthly turnover was lower by -8.7% in relation to July 2007.
 
Throughout the period of January-July 2008, the port of Tallinn handled 17.09 million tons of cargo (-29.8% change in comparison to the same period of 2007). In terms of cargo type, dry bulk cargo handling decreased by -67.0% or -4.44 million tons, liquid cargoes by –19,3 % or –2,84 million tons, and there was a slight increase in the turnover of general cargoes +1,8 % or +52,8 thousand tons.

In January-July of this year, 1398 freight ships called at the port of Tallinn, while this number for the corresponding period of 2007 was 1771 calls (change -21.1 percent).

The total number of passengers arriving at the port of Tallinn during the first seven months of this year was 4.32 million, and 3.75 million passengers in January-July 2007 (change of +15.2%).
 
 Cargo handling figure for the port of Ventspils in January-July 2008 totalled 17.36 million tons, the figure for the corresponding period of 2007 was 18.84 million tons.  In terms of cargo type, amount of liquid cargoes handled decreased by –4.6 percent, respectively 11.31 million tons. 

General cargo turnover slumped by -13.7% (1.29 million tons), and the volume of dry bulk cargo handled decreased by -13.3 percent less in comparison with the respective period of the previous year (4.76 million tons handled). 

In terms of cargo nomenclature, the highest rate of growth in the port of Ventspils was recorded for steel contractions (+48.1 %), ammonia (+33.2 %), liquid chemicals (+25.9 %), container units (in terms of tonnage) (+11.7 %) and coal (+7.2 %).

Turnover of handling of the principal transit cargoes, namely, oil products and bulk fertilizers, was as follows: in January-July 2008 volume of oil products handled was 9,59 million tons (-2.9 %), bulk fertilizers – 1,33 million tons (–39.1 %).

Throughout the seven months of this year the port of Ventspils handled 105 thousand tons of containerised cargoes (94 thousand tons last year).  Passenger transportation figure continued to drastically fall in the neighbouring port, namely, the figure for the period of January through July reached a mere 20.85 thousand (-32.7% in comparison with the respective period of 2007).   1289 ship calls were recorded in this Latvian port in January-July 2008 (which is 33 ship calls less than in January-July 2007).   
 
Throughout January-July 2008 the port of Riga handled 17.00 million tons of cargo, which is 13.5 percent more in relation to the same period of the previous year. The turnover has been growing mainly due to increase of dry and bulk cargoes handling (+27.2%). 

The turnover of dry bulk cargo amounted to 11.08 million tons, which is 2.37 million tons more than in January-July last year.   Turnover in comparison to the figures of the previous year changed as follows: coal +1.90 million tons or +32.6 %, grain +160.6 thousand tons or +2.9 times, building materials +40.9 thousand tons or +10.6 %. Coal handling accounted for 45.5 percent of total handling turnover in the port of Riga. 

The volume of liquid cargoes handed in the port of Riga in January-July increased by +2.3 % in relation to the corresponding period of 2007, and amounted to 3.01 million tons. The turnover of oil products, which accounts for 99 % of the total volume of liquid cargoes, has increased by +1.7 % respectively.

Amount of general cargo handled in the port of Riga continued to decrease, the figure being 2.91 million tons (-12.3 % less in comparison with previous January-July). In terms of general cargo nomenclature, timber accounted for 1.32 million tons (-27.8 percent), and containerised cargoes 1.11 million tons (+2.9 percent).

During the seven month of this year 257.7 thousand passengers visited the port of Riga, while in January-July 2007 this figure was 241.2 thousand (+6.8 % change).