OREANDA-NEWS. January 19, 2009. During 2008 four new heights of cargo turnover were reached in the history of Klaipeda port – the biggest cargo turnover of  29,88 mln. t, the biggest oil products turnover of 9,36 mln. t, the biggest bulk fertilizers turnover of 5,56 mln. T and the biggest container turnover of 373,3 thousand  TEU, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda port.

During 2008 2,5 million tons of cargo more was handled in Klaipeda port or by 9,2 percent more comparing to 2007.

During January-December 2008 there significantly increased stevedoring volumes of liquid and bulk and dry bulk cargo, the volumes of general cargo slightly decreased.

The turnover of liquid cargo decreased by more than one fifth in 2008 (+21,1 percent). The growth of this cargo was predetermined by the growth of oil products handling in the port (+31,1 percent). During January-December 2008 it exceeded 2,2 mln.t than during 2007 (in 2008 9,36 mln. t was handled, in 2007 – 7,14 mln. t). The volumes of liquid fertilizers decreased by -289,13 thousand tons  (-18,2 percent), and 1,3 million tons was handled during this year.

The growth of bulk and dry bulk cargo was predetermined by the growth of agricultural products +417,98 thousand t (in 2008 1,66 million tons was handled, difference  +33,7 percent), and bulk fertilizers +300,66 thousand t (in 2008 5,56 million tons was handled, difference +5,7 percent). Among the types of bulk and dry bulk cargo the growth of raw sugar volumes was observed  +142,83 thousand tons (in 2008  339,53 thousand t was handled, difference +72,6 percent) and alloys +74,01 thousand t (in 2008  437,87 thousand t was handled, difference +20,3 percent).

Comparing to 2007, there further on grows the volume of containers. The stevedoring volumes (from the point of view of tonnage) further on increase. In 2008 there increased the volumes of containers +499,24 thousand t (+16,6 percent) and exceeded the limit of  3,5 million tons. 

The turnover of TEU in 2008 reached a new record – 373,3 thousand TEU was handled, i. e. +16,1 percent more than in 2007. Ro-Ro units handling in 2008 reached 200,9 thousand units, i. e. decreased by 8,0 percent, comparing to 2007.

In 2008 there mostly decreased  Ro-Ro cargo (from the point of view of tonnage) -487,87 thousand t (in 2008 3,60 mln. t was handled, difference -11,9 percent), liquid fertilizers -289,13 thousand t (in 2008 1,30 mln. t was handled, difference -18,2 percent) and timber -216,79 thousand  t (in 2008 635,81 thousand t was handled, difference -25,4 percent).

During 2008 the total figure of passengers who came by ferries to the port made 280,3 thousand (-1,7 percent), and the total number of ship calls increased  by 5,5 percent or  8 348.
 
In Butinge terminal during January-December 2008 9,07 mln. t of crude oil was handled  (stevedoring volumes increased by almost two times).
 
During December 2008 2,18 million tons was handled in Klaipeda port, i.e. it decreased by 11,6 percent, comparing to December 2007.

During 2008 Riga port handled 29,57 mln. t of cargo, i. e. +14,0 percent more than during 2007 .
The growth of cargo handling volumes was reached mainly due to the increase of bulk and dry bulk cargo in 2008 (+24,8 percent). Port turnover in 2008 made 19,33 mln. t, i.e. +3,84 mln. t more than during 2007.

Analysing the types of bulk and dry bulk cargo, the biggest growth was seen in coal handling, in 2008 13,78 mln. t or by 31,6 percent more coal was handled than during 2007. Bulk cargo volume made 1,94 mln. t or by 0,5 percent more, building materials  679,1 thousand t or by 5,5 percent more, grain – 373,9 thousand  t or by 73,6 percent more, iron ore – 340,8 thousand tons or by 26,1 percent more than last year. Coal handling made 46,6 percent of the total Riga port cargo turnover.

Liquid cargo volumes in Latvian port during 2008 increased by 12,5 percent and made  5,43 mln. t. Oil products handling which makes 98,8 percent of the total cargo turnover, increased by 12,1 percent and made  5,36 mln. t.

General cargo volume in Riga port during 2008 decreased and it reached 4,81 mln. t (-14,5 percent comparing to 2007). According to the types of general cargo, 2,04 mln. t made timber (–30,9 percent), and containerized cargo made 1,91 mln. t (+2,0 percent).

During 2008 503,2 thousand passengers visited Riga port and during 2007 there were 441,9 thousand (difference +13,9 percent)
 
29,08 million tons of cargo was handled in Tallinn port during 2008 (-19,3 percent, difference comparing to 2007). According to the types of cargo bulk and dry bulk cargo volume decreased by 58,6 percent or by 5,03 mln. t, liquid cargo -8,2 percent or by 1,84 mln. t less and general cargo -0,8 percent or by 38,8 thousand t less. The biggest share in the structure of Tallinn port cargo made liquid cargo (70,6 percent).

Analysing the types of Tallinn port cargo there were no significant growth in the volumes of cargo. Handling of coal decreased -3,40 mln. t (-91,6 percent, 314,1 thousand t was handled), oil products -1,86 mln. t (-8,3 percent,  20,49 mln. t was handled), fertilizers -1,22 mln. t (-66,2 percent,  624,8 thousand t was handled) and grain -577,5 thousand t (-55,2 percent, 468,0 thousand t was handled).

During 2008 2 535 cargo ships called Tallinn port, i. e. 218 ships less than during 2007.

7,25 million passengers visited Tallinn port and during 2007 there were 6,51 mln. (difference +12,1 percent).
 
28,57 mln.t of cargo was handled in Ventspils port during 2008  (during 2007 – 31,04 mln. t, difference -7,9 percent). In 2008 the stevedoring volumes of bulk and dry bulk cargo slightly increased (+1,0 percent), 8,59 mln. t was handled, the volume of liquid cargo decreased -10,8 percent,  17,86 mln. t of cargo was handled, handling volumes of general cargo decreased by 16,0 percent, 2,11 mln. t was handled comparing to 2007.

According to the types of cargo there mostly grew the stevedoring volumes of coal in 2008 +349,0 thousand t (in 2008  4,46 mln. t was handled), grain +307,0 thousand t (in 2008 711,0 thousand t was handled) and ammonia +190,0 thousand t (in 2008 1,21 mln. t was handled). There increased the handling volumes of oil products -1,81 mln. t (in 2008 15,03 mln. t was handled), fertilizers -567,0 thousand t (in 2008 2,67 mln. t was handled), crude oil -560,0 thousand t (in 2008 1,49 mln. t was handled) and Ro-Ro cargo -352,0 thousand t (in 2008 1,36 mln. t was handled).

The number of passengers in the neighbouring ports permanently decreased in 2008. In the end of the year there were only 32,5 thousand passengers i.e. by 35,9 percent less than during 2007. During 2008 in Ventspils port 2 157 ships were served (by 85 ships less than during 2007.
 
In Kaliningrad port 15,38 mln. t was handled during 2008 (by 1,6 percent less than during 2007). According to the types of cargo there only increased the volume of bulk and dry bulk cargo by 40,9 percent ( during 2008 6,82 mln. t was handled). General cargo decreased by 8,8 percent (in 2008 3,21 mln. t was handled), and liquid cargo by 18,7 percent (in 2008 7,40 mln. t was handled). 547,7 thousand tons of other cargo was handled in Kaliningrad port (difference +2,4 times).

The main types of cargo remained oil and oil products, coal, black metals and containers, the same as during 2007. 7,32 mln. t made only oil and oil products during 2008, i.e. 47,6 percent of the total cargo turnover.
 
In Liepaja port 4,19 mln. t of cargo was handled during 2008 (by 3,7 percent more than during 2007). According to the types of cargo, the handling volumes of liquid cargo increased by 11,5 percent (in 2008 0,91 mln. t was handled), general cargo increased by 6,1 percent (in 2008  1,42 mln. t was handled), and bulk and dry bulk cargo volume decreased -1,4 percent (in 2008 1,85 mln. t was handled).

The stevedoring results of the main types of cargo in Liepaja port during 2008 were the following: grain +15,6 percent (1,42 mln. t was handled), oil products -7,7 percent (522,9 thousand t was handled), metals -22,6 percent ( 498,8 thousand t was handled), timber -9,9 percent (463,1 thousand t was handled), containers (from the point of view of tonnage) -38,7 percent (36,1 thousand  t was handled and it is less than during the same period  2007.