OREANDA-NEWS. March 10, 2009. During January-February this year 4,3 million tons of cargo was handled in Klaipeda port, i.e.  -14,5 percent or by  725,0 thousand tons less than during the same period last year, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda port.
 
The biggest growth rates during January-February this year were reached in handling agricultural products (+39,5 thousand  t) and bulk peat (+19,4 thousand t), comparing to January-February 2008.
                     
Cargo turnover during February 2009 decreased by one fifth - 2,06 mln. t of cargo was handled, i. e. -20,7 percent, comparing to February 2008.
 
During the last winter month of 2009 there decreased liquid cargo handling volumes by 17 percent, bulk and dry bulk cargo volumes – by 17,6 percent, and general cargo volumes by  -28,3 percent, comparing to February 2008.

There grew the stevedoring volumes of vegetable fat and oil volumes (during February 2009 13,3 thousand t was handled, and during February  2008 – 4,1 thousand t, difference +9,2 thousand t). Comparing to February last year, there mostly decreased stevedoring volumes of oil products (during February 2009 727,1 thousand t was handled, and during February  2008 – 856,9 thousand t, difference +129,8 thousand t) and liquid fertilizers ( during February 2009 58,2 thousand t was handled, and during February  2008 – 99,0 thousand t, difference -40,8 thousand t).

Comparing the types of bulk cargo volumes handled during February 2008 and 2009, the growth is observed in handling agricultural products (+70,6 thousand t, 179,1 thousand t was handled, difference +65,1 percent), minerals and building materials (+16,9 thousand t, 62,8 thousand t was handled, difference +37,0 percent) and peat (+14,5 thousand t, 30,6 thousand t was handled, difference +90,7 percent). There mostly decreased stevedoring volumes of bulk fertilizers during February 2009 (-121,0 thousand t, 329,9 thousand t was handled, difference -26,8 percent), alloys (-49,1 thousand t, 7,0 thousand t was handled, difference -87,5 percent) and raw sugar (-47,2 thousand t, 45,0 thousand t was handled, difference -51,2 percent), comparing to February 2008.

Among the types of general cargo there grew stevedoring volumes of packed fertilizers during February 2009 (+8,4 thousand t, 39,2 thousand t was handled, difference +27,1 percent). According to stevedoring volumes there mostly decreased Ro-Ro cargo (from the point of view of tonnage) (-79,2 thousand t, 225,5 thousand t was handled, difference -26,0 percent), containers (from the point of view of tonnage) (-74,6 thousand t, 203,4 thousand t was handled, difference -26,8 percent), timber (-39,2 thousand t, 32,78 thousand t was handled, difference -54,4 percent) and ore and steel products (-36,4 thousand t, 19,2 thousand t was handled, difference -65,4 percent).

During February this year the turnover of containers (TEU) was by 30,7 percent less than during February 2008 (during February 2009 20 153 TEU was handled, difference -8 932 TEU). Ro-Ro units handling decreased by 28,0 percent (during February 2009 11 469 units were handled, difference -4 456 units).

During February 2009 10,46 thousand passengers visited the port, i.e. by 11,1 percent less than during the same period last year.
 
The turnover of Butinge terminal during February this year comparing to February last year increased by 56,9 percent and made 801,27 thousand tons.