OREANDA-NEWS. September 30, 2008. By cargo handling data for the period January through August, 2008, Port of Klaipeda maintains its position of the leader in the Baltic Region; while cargo handling results in the Port of Riga exceeded those of Ventspils Port, reported the press-centre of Port of Klaipeda.

In January-August, 2008 the Port of Klaipeda handled 20,64 million tons of cargo, i.e.  by +13,4 % more in comparison to corresponding  period of 2007.

There was a growth of all cargo types (liquid, dry and bulk, general) in January-August of 2008.

Growth of liquid cargoes resulted from further increase in handling of oil products. In the first eight months of this year the turnover of oil products increased by +24,9%. (6,54 million tons were handled in January-August of 2008, while in January-August of 2007 – 5,24 million tons). Slight decrease of -2,2% was recorded in handling of liquid fertilizers (1,00 million tons were handled this year).

Increase in dry and bulk cargo turnover was influenced by significant growth in handling of raw sugar by +75,7% (237,89 thousand tons handled), ferroalloys by +49,9% (339,93 thousand tons handled), agriculture products by +45,9% (772,12 thousand tons handled) and bulk fertilizers by +20,4 % (4,11 million tons handled).

In comparison to the corresponding period of last year there was also an increase in turnover of containers (in terms of tonnage) by +22,4% (2,40 million tons handled), refrigerated cargoes by +8,1% (241,62 thousand tons handled), iron- and metal ware by +1,5% (306,04 thousand tons handled in the port.

In January-August of 2008 at Klaipeda seaport handling figures decreased for the following cargoes: molasses by –76,9% (11,46 thousand tons handled), packed peat by –55,0% (5,80 thousand tons handled), Ro-ro cargoes (in terms of tonnage) by –11,1% (2,45 million tons handled), commercial minerals and construction materials –10,6% (563,03 thousand tons handled), timber by –9,7% (491,79 thousand tons handled) and packed fertilizers by –5,6% (242,60 thousand tons handled).

Container handling (in terms of TEU) in Klaipeda port grew by +19,6 %, while ro-ro unit handling decreased by –5,1%  in comparison to January – August, 2007.

Decrease in handling of bulk fertilizers was influenced by rainy weather that was hindering stevedoring works; while decrease in timber handling accounted for decline in demand and supply of this product in the market, rainy weather complicating timber transportation from forests and lower production volumes in Scandinavia due to summer holidays.

The total number of passengers visiting the port by ferry in the first eight months has dropped by 3,0 % and amounted to 204,6 thousand.

In August of 2008, 2,40 million tons of cargo were handled at Klaipeda Port, i.e. the monthly handling figures decreased by –4,3% in comparison to the same period in 2007.

In January-August of 2008, the port of Tallinn handled 19,51 million tons of cargo (-26,5% change in comparison to the same period of 2007). By cargo types, the handled volumes of dry and bulk cargoes decreased by -65,8 % or by –4,69 million tons, liquid cargoes by  – 14,9% or by –2,38 million tons, while the turnover of general cargo has slightly increased  by +1,8 % or by +58,7 thousand tons. Liquid cargoes accounted for the major share, i.e.  69,9 % in the general structure of cargo at Tallinn Port.

In January-August of this year 1619 freight ships called at the port of Tallinn, in comparison to the same period of 2007 – 1973 ships (change –17,9 %).

In the first eight months of this year 5,16 million passengers visited the port of Tallinn, while the number of passengers in January-August of 2007 was 4,52 million (change +14,2 %).
 
 In January- August of 2008 the port of Riga handled 19,41 million tons of cargo (by  +12,5 % more in comparison to corresponding period of 2007) and won position of the leader among Latvian ports having left the port of Ventspils on the second place.

The turnover at this port continues to grow mainly due to increase in handling of dry and bulk cargoes (+27,1%); 12,68 million tons of such cargoes were handled, i.e. 2,70 million tons more in comparison to January-August of last year.

Coal handling has increased by +33,6% (8,84 million tons handled), construction materials by +16,8 % (510,0 thousand tons handled), ore by +36,7 % (252,9 thousand tons), grain handling figures amounted to 236,1 thousand tons, i.e has increased twice , in comparison to last year. Coal handling accounted for 45,5 % of the general turnover of cargo at Riga port.

In January- August of this year liquid cargo turnover in the port of Latvia decreased by – 1,4%, in comparison to the same period of last year, and amounted to 3,36 million tons. Handling of oil products, which accounts for 98,8% of total liquid cargo turnover, has decreased respectively by – 1,8 %.

The amount of general cargo handled in the port of Riga continues decreasing; 3,37 million tons were handled (-13,0 % less than in January-August of last year). In terms of general cargo nomenclature, timber accounted for 1,53 million tons (–27,4%), and containerized cargoes 1,26 million tons (+0,9 %).

In the first eight months of this year 352,9 thousand passengers visited the port of Riga, while in January- August of 2007 this figure was 332,4 thousand (change +6,2 %).
 
In January- August of 2008 the port of Ventspils handled 19,24 million tons of cargo, while in the first eight months of 2007 – 21,48 million tons. Handling of liquid cargoes has decreased by –10,3 %, i.e. 12,41 million tons of cargo were handled. Decrease by –12,6 % was recorded in handling of general cargoes (1,49 million tons handled), dry and bulk cargoes  by –10,3 % (5,34 million tons handled) in comparison to the corresponding period of 2007.

In terms of cargo nomenclature, the largest growth in cargo handling in the port of Ventspils was recorded in the following cargo types: metal works by +40,7% (83 thousand tons handled), ammonia by +22,1% (807 thousand tons handled), liquid chemicals by +16,4% (85 thousand tons handled), containers (in terms of tonnage) by +15,0% (123 thousand tons handled), and black metal by +11,4% (78 thousand tons handled).

Turnover of the principal transit cargoes, namely oil products and bulk fertilizers was as follows: amount of oil products handled in January-August of 2008 was 10,46 million tons (-10,0 %), bulk fertilizers – 1,61 million tons (–30,0 %).

In eight months of this year the port of Ventspils handled 123 thousand tons of containerized cargoes (107 thousand tons handled last year). The trend for  significant decrease in number of passengers in the neighbouring country port continues, i.e., in January- August only 27,94 thousand of passengers visited the port of Ventspils (by –32,6 % less in comparison to the same period of 2007). 1476 ships called at this Latvian port in January-August of 2008 (by 49 ships less than in January-August of 2007).